£4·25 188 Jan/Feb 2021 www.ethicalconsumer.org Still trapped in poverty

How to give chocolate workers a fair share

SHOPPING GUIDES TO Chocolate Fruit Juice Soft Drinks Perfume & Aftershave Organic Fair Trade Vegan Palm oil free Soy free Gluten free Ethically, Socially & Environmentally responsible 100% made in Ecuador (in origin)

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2 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 ETHICAL CONSUMER Editorial WHO’S WHO n this issue, we bring you some new part-time member of staff to help THIS ISSUE’S EDITORS Josie Wexler, Ruth Strange, Tim Hunt, Rob Harrison guides you might want for the us – Nabila Ahmed, and plan to make PROOFING Ciara Maginness (Little Blue Pencil) Christmas season – chocolate, a submission to the Treasury Select WRITERS/RESEARCHERS Jane Turner, Tim Hunt, perfume, fruit juice and soft drinks. Committee on tax. Rob Harrison, Anna Clayton, Josie Wexler, IDisgracefully, poverty and Ethical Consumer has also joined Ruth Strange, Mackenzie Denyer, Clare Carlile, exploitation are a theme, which makes it #MakeAmazonPay – a new coalition Francesca de la Torre, Alex Crumbie, Tom Bryson, Billy Saundry, Jasmine Owens all a bit reminiscent of Charles Dickens’s demanding change from the online REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Simon Birch, Colin Birch Christmas full of ghosts. But there is giant. Other members include War on DESIGN Tom Lynton some positive change happening – in Want, the Tax Justice Network, and LAYOUT Adele Armistead (Moonloft), Jane Turner the cocoa industry, governments are Greenpeace. The coalition has published COVER Tom Lynton starting to step up to tackle the low a list of common demands, from CARTOONS Marc Roberts, Mike Bryson, Richard Liptrot, Andy Vine prices which underlie the poverty, “raising workers’ pay in all Amazon AD SALES Simon Birch and companies such as Fairafric are warehouses in line with the increasing SUBSCRIPTIONS Elizabeth Chater, developing more innovative ways of wealth of the corporation” and “ending Francesca Thomas, Nadine Oliver addressing it. union busting”; to “stopping all PRESS ENQUIRIES Simon Birch, Tim Hunt A couple of guides also address issues sponsoring of climate change denial” ENQUIRIES Francesca Thomas around stereotypes and body image. The and “paying taxes in full”. WEB EDITOR Sophie Billington THANKS ALSO TO Marlous Veldt, Merle Büter, Emma perfume industry’s TV advert budget is Kerrison, Katy Davies, Catherine Harbour, Jane astronomical, and as you can’t convey Finally Darling a smell through a TV screen, they You may notice that we are getting less All material correct one month before cover date basically sell nothing but pure fantasy prosaic and have a new poetry corner: and © Ethical Consumer Research Association and dreams. Luckily, there are brands Poetic Justice. That’s now going to be Ltd. ISSN 0955 8608 that are less over the top. a regular feature, so we hope you’re Printed with vegetable ink by RAP Spiderweb Ltd, Alternatively, if buying a selection something of a rhyming creature! c/o the Commercial Centre, Clowes Centre, box or bottle of eau de toilette seems Our next magazine is going to be Hollinwood, Oldham OL9 7LY. 0161 947 3700 a little passé in these times of crisis, devoted to green technologies, including PAPER 100% post-consumer waste, chlorine-free and sourced from the only UK paper merchant why not inspire your friends and loved heat pumps, solar panels and solar supplying only recycled papers – Paperback ones with a gift subscription to Ethical thermal. Which is timely, given that the (www.paperbackpaper.co.uk) Consumer magazine? It’s a gift that government has announced as part of RETAIL DISTRIBUTION is handled by Central Books lasts a whole year, you’ll be helping to its recently released 10-point climate on 0845 458 9911. support our work and we’ll plant an plan that it intends 600,000 heat pumps Ethical Consumer is a member of INK (independent news collective), an association of olive sapling in Palestine for every new to be installed every year by 2028. As radical and alternative publishers. subscriber. only 30,000 were fitted last year, www.ink.uk.com that is quite the increase – 20- We are a Living Wage employer, a multi-stakeholder Tax and the digital fold, in eight years. co-op, and Fair Tax Mark accredited. giants But for that you will have We also update on our ongoing to wait until 2021. In the campaign to make digital giants meantime, Merry Christmas such as Google, Facebook and and Happy New Year from Amazon pay their way. all at Ethical Consumer. While these companies ABOUT THE ADVERTISERS were already failing to pay ECRA checks out advertisers before accepting their their share even before ads and reserves the right to refuse any advert. the pandemic, COVID COVERED IN PREVIOUS PRODUCT GUIDES Abundance has pushed things into (177), Co-operative Bank (186), Flaya (188), Green Stationery (185), Infinity Wholefoods a ‘taking the absolute (178), Kingfisher Toothpaste (184), Pacari mick’ situation – society Chocolates (188), Plamil (188), Vegetarian Shoes faces a financial crisis, (185). while they are doing Other advertisers Green Building Store, Investing JOSIE WEXLER Ethically, Medical Aid for Palestine), Practical simply marvellously out EDITOR Action, The Path. of it all. We have recruited a

WHAT IS ETHICAL CONSUMER? Democratise the market by enabling Push for wider political action and 2consumers to assert their own ethical 5legislative change. Ethical consumerism is We are an independent, not-for-profit, multi- values by using our shopping guides. not a replacement for other forms of political stakeholder co-operative founded in 1989 action. But it is an important additional way and based in Manchester. Our primary goal is Have a fully transparent ranking system. All for people to exert their influence. making global businesses more sustainable 3our data is available to subscribers. through consumer pressure. Our mission is to: HOW TO CONTACT US Engage with companies by telling them why Unit 21, 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester, M15 5RF Help consumers to challenge corporate we are buying or not buying their products. 4 0161 226 2929 — 10-5pm 1 power by using their economic vote every We also send them detailed questions about [email protected] — general time they go shopping. their policy and practice on ethical issues. [email protected] — subscriptions

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4 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 ETHICAL CONSUMER Contents

NEWS FEATURES SHOPPING GUIDES

06 F ood & Home 44 Taxing Big Tech Chocolate Dirty dozen pesticides, Beer & biscuit How to wrestle tax from Big Tech 10 Introduction brand sales, Plastic-free periods campaign, Boulder art to stop bottom 44 12 Score Table & Best Buys trawling in North Sea 14 Going beyond certification 08 Climate 17 Nestlé profile Ogoni 9 anniversary, Smart tariffs, Ground Up event, 10 point green plan 10 08

40 Ethical Consumer Week Reflections on our online event 40 Fruit Juices 18 Introduction 20 Score Table & Best Buys

38 Ethical Novice Chocolate Soft Drinks 26 Introduction 38 Poetic Justice 28 Score Table & Best Buys Christmas Vexation

39 Clothes Garment workers’ crisis, Made in REGULARS 26 Britain, Clothes factories’ safety 46 Christmas gift 42 Boycotts subscriptions Facebook hate speech, Amazon Give a gift subscription to Ethical greenwash, AXA financing Israeli Consumer settlements 48 Letters 43 Lush Prize 2020 A regular forum for readers’ views Can big data replace animal testing? Report on this year’s virtual conference and awards. 50

47 Money Community Shares thrive 43 23 Juice & Soft Drinks packaging 24 Juice & Soft Drinks company profiles 25 Spotlight on Coca-Cola

Perfumes and aftershaves 50 Inside view 32 Introduction French food revolution 34 Score Table & Best Buys

ethicalconsumer.org 5 NEWS Food & Home Beer and biscuit news

THE DIRTY DOZEN Fox’s biscuits has just been bought by chocolate Pesticides used in company Ferrero. It used to score 8.5 but that now agriculture can often drops to 5. See the chocolate guide on page 10. leave detectable traces Beer company Greene King is now owned by Hong of chemicals in, or on, Kong’s richest family, CKA Group, which already our food known as owns Superdrug and mobile operator Three. It ‘residues’. Crops are not also owns 20% of rolling stock firm UK Rail, 16% of sprayed just once during a Northumbrian Water and 12% of Wales and West Gas growing season; multiple Networks. Greene King’s score drops from 5.5 to 1. applications of different Greene King is one of the companies that pesticides can be applied pledged to make slave trade reparations in June to – as many as 20 different address their founders’ roles in the trans-Atlantic chemicals can be applied slave trade. Records archived by researchers at to winter wheat for University College London (UCL) show that one of example. Greene King’s founders, Benjamin Greene, held at Pesticides Action least 231 human beings in slavery and became an Network has analysed enthusiastic supporter of the practice. Greene was government data on given the equivalent of about £500,000 at today’s residues on fruit and veg rate in compensation when he surrendered rights and has come up with a to plantations in Montserrat and Saint Kitts when dirty dozen list – 12 fruits slavery was abolished in the British empire in 1833. to avoid as a top priority Greene King’s sale follows Fuller’s and craft if you can’t access a fully brewer Meantime having been bought by Japanese organic diet. drinks giant Asahi. It lists the ‘dirtiest’ Other craft brewers have also proved attractive fruit and vegetables to multinationals – AB Inbev, which supplies based on what percentage nearly a third of the world’s beer, bought London of samples revealed brewer Camden Town. residues of more than one Carlsberg bought London pesticide. Our regulatory Fields brewery whilst system is only set up to Heineken bought a stake in assess the safety of one Beavertown. pesticide at a time, and Meanwhile, Kirin Ichiban so misses what is often lager is on the Burma called ‘the cocktail effect’. Campaign’s boycott list for More details from www. being in business with the pan-uk.org/dirty-dozen Burmese military which is facing charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

Organic food sales boom MAKE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS PLASTIC FREE

during lockdown Ella Daish, pictured left, is running a campaign to try and get plastic out According to the Soil Association, sales of menstrual products. So far she of organic food and drink grew by 6.1% – has convinced Aldi, Sainsbury’s and almost double the 3.2% growth of non-organic Superdrug to ditch plastic applicators for food and drink products – in the year ending biodegradable, cardboard alternatives in May 2020. It also reported an 18.7% increase their own-brand products. in organic sales in the 12 weeks to the end of Now she is targeting brand leader May – which included 10 weeks of lockdown Tampax. To get their attention, she – compared with a 14.2% increase in non- created a giant plastic tampon from organic equivalents. abandoned plastic applicators sent to

“Organic farming is a whole-system her by supporters, 87.5% of which were Daish Ella Photo: approach that nurtures the soil, biodiversity Tampax. But Tampax has, so far, declined and our planet,” said Louisa Pharoah of the to ditch the plastic. Soil Association. “The COVID-19 pandemic Our Menstrual Products guide in EC179 and on the web recommended has meant more people appreciate where food reusable products like menstrual cups or reusable comes from and, with the increased interest in applicators like the Dame brand (right). growing veg in our gardens and home baking, Support Ella’s campaign here – www.change. there’s never been a better time to talk to org/p/make-all-menstrual-products-plastic-free people about the benefits of organic farming.”

6 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS Food & Home North Sea boulder barrier art installation In October, Greenpeace completed Left: Artist Fiona Banner, aka its boulder barrier to prevent The Vanity Press, with ‘Klang Full Stop’ outside DEFRA in destructive bottom trawling in part London of the North Sea. Below: Fiona with her Activists on board the Greenpeace ship Esperanza sculptures ‘Peanuts Full Stop’ deployed the final two boulders, worked into ‘full (left) and ‘Orator Full Stop’ while aboard the Greenpeace stops’ by Turner Prize nominated artist Fiona ship Esperanza, at Tower Banner. They were placed in 47 square miles of the Bridge in London.

Dogger Bank protected area which is meant to be off / Greenpeace © Chris J Ratcliffe limits to all destructive bottom trawling. An Oceana analysis revealed that 97% of the UK’s marine protected areas are being bottom trawled, despite most being set up specifically to protect the seabed. Greenpeace was forced to take action to protect Dogger Bank after documenting extensive illegal bottom trawling taking place in the area. No action has been taken by the UK Government against these vessels operating illegally since this was revealed. The installation features three sculptural full stops, made from inert granite, which form an ellipsis. Two of the three full stops have been placed in Dogger Bank by Greenpeace activists on board the Esperanza, while one was placed outside Defra, blocking the entrance of the Home Office where Defra is housed: a message to the Environment Secretary George Eustice, calling out his failure to

protect our ocean environment. / Greenpeace © Suzanne Plunkett NEWS IN BRIEF

The return of the violence and human rights abuses of is owned by L’Oréal which appears in our local communities. But there are a lot of perfume guide on page 32 and is part dreaded patio heater misconceptions about who’s eating all this owned by Nestlé. A recent article in The Guardian, which soya. Louise Edge, Global Corporate we contributed to, raised the issue of According to the Vegan Society, the Campaigner at Greenpeace said: “Garnier the increase in the sale and use of patio number of vegans in the UK quadrupled is showing how brands can shift their heaters because we are being encouraged between 2014 and 2019. Vegans and consumers away from unnecessary to socialise outdoors. vegetarians are being blamed more often plastic packaging. They could go Heating up the outside is inherently because they appear to consume more further still with a naked shampoo bar wasteful of energy, with up to 40% of the soya than your average meat eater. But or reusable container, removing the heat from an outdoor gas heater going only 6% of soya grown globally was for cardboard and eliminating throwaway straight up into the air. Infrared electric human consumption. packaging completely.” heaters are more efficient but there are Watch the video here https://www. In our guide to shampoo in EC184, we even better options – clothing! Layers of youtube.com/watch?v=ki9PoTWiMTk recommended the following brands of clothing, blankets, flasks of hot drinks, which shines a spotlight on how industrial solid shampoo bars windbreaks, awnings and gazebos all do a meat is the biggest threat to the world’s made by much much more climate-friendly job forest. more ethical companies – Lush, Faith Who’s eating all the Solid shampoo goes in Nature, Friendly soya? mainstream Soap and According to Greenpeace, soya represents Mainstream shampoo brand Garnier Badger. 47% of Europe’s deforestation footprint. has caught up with ethical shampoo Lush solid It’s a leading driver of deforestation companies and has just launched a shampoos (right) in South America and is linked to plastic-free solid shampoo bar. Garnier are naked.

ethicalconsumer.org 7 NEWS Climate Anniversary of the death of the Ogoni 9 The 10th November marked the 25th anniversary of the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Nigerians - “the Ogoni 9” – for protesting against the environmental destruction wreaked by Shell in Ogoniland, Southern Nigeria. There was considerable evidence even at the time that Shell were complicit in the executions, that they had encouraged the Nigerian military dictatorship to take action against Ken Saro- Wiwa and his organisation Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), knowing full well what that would mean. In commemoration, Extinction Rebellion activists mounted demonstrations at Shell’s headquarters in both London and The Hague, and in Nigeria MOSOP organised a candle-lit procession.2 Protesters said that Shell is still not taking responsibility for its large-scale contamination of the water and soil in Ogoni communities, and that the company’s failure to clean up has left hundreds of thousands of Ogoni people with damaged health, struggling to access safe drinking water, and unable to earn a living. Legal cases regarding the executions continue to this day. In 2009 Shell paid the Saro-Wiwa family $15.5 million in an out-of- court settlement. Another case, brought by four of the executed men’s widows, has been ongoing in the Netherlands since 2017.3 It has led to some further shocking revelations - witnesses have claimed that they were bribed to testify against the Ogoni 9, by Shell representatives. Shell is also facing legal action in the Netherlands for the pollution in Ogoniland, where four Nigerian farmers have been

suing the company for over a decade for leaking pipelines on Greenpeace © Tim Lambon, their land. Ken Saro-Wiwa, president of the MOSOP and one of the Ogoni 9.

From the Ground Up event THE GOVERNMENT’S 10 POINT The annual UN climate conference, COP26, was originally due to be held in November 2020, but was GREEN PLAN postponed for 12 months due to the pandemic. The COP26 Coalition - a UK-based civil society The government has recently unveiled its 10 point green Covid coalition of groups and individuals from trade 19 recovery plan, as has been widely covered in the newspapers. unions, climate justice groups, environmental NGOs, Measures include a ban by 2030 on the sale of new petrol and diesel faith and student groups - marked the COP26 that cars (previously this was set for 2040), and providing around £4 billion didn’t happen with a four-day online gathering, of new funding for a variety of emissions-cutting proposals. attended by global movements working for climate It has received a mixed response from campaigners. Some parts justice. have been welcomed, but many have pointed out how paltry it is Discussions were held on many topics, including compared to what is needed. trade deals and their role in climate change, the Carbon Brief’s Simon Evans said “adding them up, it looks like role of trade unions in a just transition, feminism the new measures would only close 55% of the gap to meeting UK's and the climate emergency, and how indigenous [legally binding] 4th/5th carbon budgets…even before thinking about knowledge can aid in strategies for resistance. net zero ambition.” 8,000 people registered for the event. Translations Caroline Lucas of the Green Party compared the £4 billion of new were provided in Spanish and French, and sessions money for this plan with the £27 billion that is earmarked for roads included speakers from many countries including and the £36bn being invested in a green recovery in Germany.1 Mozambique, Colombia and Brazil. Others pointed out that many of the measures, including a Some of the sessions were recorded, and can be quadrupling of offshore wind, and support for tree planting, are viewed online. For more information, see the COP26 actually just repeating things that had already been announced. Coalition website https://cop26coalition.org

References: 1 www.carbonbrief.org/media-reaction-boris-johnsons-10-point-net-zero-plan-for-climate-change 2 www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/africa/ep-africa/277996/shell-london-hague- protests 3 http://priceofoil.org/2020/10/08/stretching-back-a-decade-shell-is-once-again-brought-to-court-over-landmark-pollution-case

8 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS Climate IN THE SMART HOME… SMART TARIFFS JONATHAN ATKINSON of Carbon Co-op peers into some of the complexities we face in the transition to low carbon homes.

For years we’ve been promised cheap, year there are huge excesses unlimited power from renewables, yet of renewable power i.e. when somehow our bills always go up and up. it’s windy and/or sunny and Well now there is a new kind of ‘smart tariff’ demand is generally low. At that highlights when renewable power is these times electricity becomes cheapest - but if you’re already bamboozled extremely cheap, there are even

by energy bills maybe think twice before instances where energy generators © Carbon Coop reading on! pay suppliers to take their power Most energy companies bill a standing in order to avoid penalty charges. charge and a standard rate for the electricity Digitalisation in our homes means that we use. But many will be familiar with energy suppliers now have a really good Economy 7 (or 10) where householders understanding of when we use electricity In reality, this is a limited number of have two tariffs, a high rate for peak times, and can predict and verify this. householders and there are currently only and a low rate charged during the night or a handful of tariffs like Octopus Agile and in the middle of the day. These tariffs were Bulb Smart Tariff, but as electric vehicles introduced by grid companies to reduce Who will benefit? and batteries become more popular and energy use at peak times when the demands more people install heat pumps we can on the system are higher - and have proved Smart tariffs mean that those who can expect both demand and supply to grow very effective. be more flexible with their energy use further. Smart tariffs have now emerged can benefit from these hour by hour One nagging fear, highlighted in a new thanks to the two ‘d’s of digitalisation changes in prices. These are people with project, Smart and Fair, from the Centre and decarbonisation, and are putting the smart meters, large flexible electricity for Sustainable Energy is that de facto, logic of Economy 7 on steroids. Instead of loads - think electric vehicles, batteries, such tariffs favour wealthier consumers tariffs changing once or twice a day they heat pumps etc. and ideally the ability with more equipment. It’s a challenge can change every half hour and the tariffs to automate use, for example, some to Ofgem and campaigners to ensure themselves change every single day with battery chargers can integrate with we don’t end up in a nightmare scenario notifications issued the day before. energy supplier systems in order to track where lower income households are stuck Renewable electricity generation is the price changes and start charging at on high, static tariffs whilst richer ones growing and at certain times of the day or trigger prices. flex their demand to catch low prices.

ethicalconsumer.org 9 SHOPPING GUIDE Chocolate Still trapped in poverty

JOSIE WEXLER looks at how we can give chocolate workers a fair share.

ocoa originally came from South Africa – principally Ivory Coast and America, where it was consumed Ghana, where it is the source of livelihood as a bitter drink for thousands of for millions of people. It is Ivory Coast’s years. European invaders added largest export, and Ghana’s third largest. Csugar to it, but it wasn’t made solid until For several decades, the industry has surprisingly recently – we Brits were the been beset by serious issues around first to do so, at the end of the nineteenth poverty, child labour and environmental century. destruction. The good news is that some As it is the key ingredient in chocolate, attempts are being made to tackle them. most of this guide focuses on the The bad news is that they aren’t nearly cocoa industry. Cocoa will only grow in good enough. We do, however, identify A fully referenced tropical countries and it is grown almost the best ones for ethical consumers to version of exclusively by small farmers. Two-thirds support. this Product of the world’s supply comes from West Guide is on our website

10 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Ethical issues in your Child labour in cocoa is tied chocolate bar up with poverty. Child labour and chocolate Cocoa farmers A major report on child labour in cocoa resort to using farming was released in 2020. It was their children funded by the U.S. government and because they can’t produced by NORC at the University of afford to employ Still trapped Chicago. adult labourers. It estimates that around two million And the poverty children are engaged in ‘hazardous’ is linked to the child labour in Ivory Coast and Ghana – prices paid by using machetes and toxic chemicals and the multinational carrying excessive loads. This amounts buyers who supply to 43% of all children living in cocoa our chocolate bars. in poverty producing areas, and means that in terms of absolute numbers, there has been no Deforestation progress at all since companies signed the and chocolate Harkin-Engel Protocol, which promised Deforestation to tackle child labour, nearly 20 years ago. is still a major In fact, the report estimated that child issue in West Mighty Earth’s 2017 report revealed how the cocoa indsutry deforested National Parks in the Ivory Coast. labour in cocoa has increased by 14% in African cocoa © Mighty Earth the last decade. production. About However, it also points out that cocoa 40% of Ivorian production itself has grown by more than cocoa is estimated to have come from Less promisingly, the US campaigning that – by 62% – in the two countries over inside protected forest areas, technically organisation Mighty Earth reported at the the period. And it is pretty positive about making it illegal. end of 2019 that, since the agreement, anti-child-labour interventions, finding The primary reason for this is that deforestation in the two countries has that when actions to improve livelihoods farmers move into the forest to get a actually increased. are coupled with awareness raising and short-term yield boost after poor farming community monitoring, they reduce child practices have exhausted the soil. This, Agroforestry in your chocolate labour significantly. again, is linked to poverty. Cocoa trees evolved to grow in the In other words, it is possible to tackle Some action is happening. In shade under a rainforest canopy, child labour, but it is not being done on November 2017, the Governments of intermingled with other trees. Cocoa any serious scale. Ivory Coast and Ghana and many of the was first farmed in a somewhat similar This report didn’t look at forced labour. major cocoa and chocolate companies manner, until pressure for short- But the Global Slavery Index estimates signed the Cocoa & Forests Initiative term yields led farmers to switch to that around 1% of the child labourers agreement. As part of this, they have full-sun monocultures. But many are being forced to work, by someone all committed to establish a unified scientific studies have now found other than their parents, and that around traceability system to map supply that moderate shade can bring just as 13,000 adults were also forced to work chains back to producer farms and have good yields, while sequestering more on cocoa farms between 2013 and 2017. created action plans to do so. Signatories carbon, improving biodiversity, and Forced labour involving violent restraint include Ferrero, Godiva, Hershey, Kuapa preventing the spread of disease and the is rare. But much more common are Kokoo (Divine), Lindt & Sprüngli, Marks degradation of the soil. things like threats or promising payment & Spencer, Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, This is called ‘cocoa agroforestry’ and which doesn’t ever materialise. Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Unilever. companies have agreed to promote it © Mighty Earth © International Labor Rights Forum Labor © International Child labour in cocoa is tied up with poverty. Cocoa farmers resort to using their children because they can’t afford to employ adult labourers. And the poverty is linked to the prices paid by the multinational buyers who supply our chocolate bars. USING THE TABLES Environment Animals People Politics +ve USING THE TABLES Ethiscore: the higher the score, the Positive ratings (+ve): better the company. Scored out of 14. Plus up to 1 extra point for Company Company Ethos: Ethos and up to 5 extra points for e = full mark Product Sustainability. = half mark Green (good) = 12+ E Product Sustainability: Amber (average) = 11.5–5 Red (poor) = 4.5–0 Various positive marks available depending on sector. H = worst rating h = middle rating = bes t rating/no criticisms found Best Buys are highlighted in blue

BRAND 14 + 6 extras) (out of Ethiscore Reporting Environmental Change Climate & Toxics Pollution Habitats & Resources Oil Palm Animal Testing Farming Factory Animal Rights Human Rights Rights Workers’ Chain Management Supply Marketing Irresponsible Arms & Military Supply Technologies Controversial Call Boycott Activity Political Finance Anti-Social Conduct Tax Ethos Company Sustainability Product COMPANY GROUP

Pacari [F,O,S,V] 18.5 e 3.5 Pacari Chocolate, LLC Beyond Good [F,O,S,V] 18 h e 3.5 Beyond Good MIA [F,S] 17 e 2 Kuanza Ltd Ombar [F,O,V] 17 H e 3 Mood Foods Ltd Plamil [F,O,V] 17 h e 2.5 Plamil Foods Ltd Fairafric [F,O,S] 16.5 h H e 3 Weinrich/Fairafric/Reimers Moo Free [O,V] 16.5 h e 2 Moo Free Ltd Vego [F,O,V] 16.5 H e 2.5 VEGO Good Food UG Booja Booja [O,V] 15.5 h h h e 2 Mr C G Mace Chocolat Madagascar ‘milk’ [V,F,S] 15 HH h e 2.5 Ramanandraibe family Cocoa Loco [F,O] 15 H H e 2 Payne Family Chocolat Madagascar [F,S] 14.5 HH h e 2 Ramanandraibe family Equal Exchange [F,O] 14 HH H e 2 Equal Exchange Inc Seed and Bean [F,O] 14 H H h h e 2 Organic Seed & Bean Co Ltd Biona [O] 13 HH h h e 1 Windmill Organics Ltd Divine [F,O] 12.5 HH HH h e 2 Ludwig Weinrich/Kuapa Kokoo Tony’s Chocolonely [F,S] 12.5 HH HH h e 2 Tony's Factory B.V. Traidcraft [F,O] 12 HH h H H h e 2 Traidcraft Foundation Willies [F,S] 11.5 HH HH h 2 Willies Cacao Ltd

Waitrose Duchy [F,O] 10.5 h H h h h H h H h h e 2 John Lewis/The Prince's Charities iChoc [O,V] 10 H H h H H h h 1.5 Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG Vivani [O] 9.5 HH h HH h h 1 Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG Montezuma's "milk" [O,V] 9 H H h H H H h h 1.5 Revenge Holdings Ltd Hotel Chocolat "milk" [V] 8.5 h H H H H h h h 0.5 Hotel Chocolat Group Plc Ritter Sport 8.5 HH h HH h h Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG Hotel Chocolat 8 h H H H H h h h Hotel Chocolat Group Plc

Co-op [F] 7 H h h h h H H h H h H h E 1 Co-operative Group Ltd Lindt 7 h h h H H h h h h h h h Lindt & Sprüngli AG Marks and Spencer [F] 7 h H h h H H H H h h h 1 Marks & Spencer Group plc

Waitrose [F] 5.5 h HHH hHHHH H h h E 1 John Lewis Partnership Ferrero, Kinder, Thorntons 5 h h h h H H h H h h H h H Ferrero International SA Godiva 5 h H h H H H h h H h h H Yildiz Holding A.S Aldi [F] 4.5 hHHHhHHHhHh h hh 1 Aldi South Hershey's 4 hHh h HHhHH h HhH The Hershey Trust Company Lidl [F] 4 hHHHH HHHHh h h H 1 Schwarz Group Guylian 3.5 HHh H HHHhH h HH Lotte Group Morrisons [F] 3.5 h H H H h H H H h H H h h H 1 Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc Sainsbury's [F] 2.5 hHHHhhHHHHhH H hH 1 J Sainsbury plc Galaxy "milk" [V] 2 hHhHhHHHHHHh h HhH 1 Mars Inc Green & Black's [F,O] 2 hHhhhHHHHHHH hhHHH 2 Mondelez International Maltesers [F] 2 hHhHhHHHHHHh h HhH 1 Mars Inc Galaxy Smooth Milk [RA] 1.5 hHhHhHHHHHHh h HhH 0.5 Mars Inc Mars 1 hHhHhHHHHHHh h HhH Mars Inc Tesco [RA] 1 hHHHhHHHHH H h HHH 0.5 Tesco plc ASDA [RA] 0.5 hHHHHHHHHHHHHh HHH 0.5 Walmart Inc. Kit Kat, Nestlé [RA] 0.5 hHhHHHHHHHhH HHHhH 0.5 Nestlé SA Cadbury 0 hHhhhHHHHHHH hhHHH Mondelez International

[O] = organic [F] = Fairtrade [RA] = Rainforest Alliance [S] = goes beyond certification [V] = vegan

12 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 m nsu er o .o c r l g

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as part of the Cocoa & Forests Initiative. at the end of 1990s, and the system i

h

Company reports are now full of works through private traders. But the BEST t e Y Agroforestry Action Plans and numbers of Government there started re-regulating in BUYS BE BU seedlings distributed. 2011, and it now also controls farm prices. S T Unfortunately, things may not be so Both countries have now agreed a simple. The VOICE network is a global minimum export price of $2,600/tonne, Our best buys for chocolate are consortium of NGOs including Oxfam with a ‘Living Income Differential’ of Pacari, Beyond Good, Mia, Fairafric, and Solidaridad, which publishes regular $400/tonne to be used to guarantee a Chocolate Madagascar and Divine. research into the cocoa industry. It is farmgate price to farmers of about $1800/ They were chosen as companies who pretty caustic about companies’ efforts tonne. That is about the same as farmers are “going beyond” in some respect, on agroforestry, suggesting that many received before the 2016 price crash, and including beyond certification, which companies are simply throwing some about 40% more than they received last is becoming increasingly regarded as trees at farmers, when the problems run year. insufficient on its own. much deeper. It says: To try to prevent oversupply, Ivory “Few farmers – most of whom are on Coast plans to ‘cap’ its cocoa production at the edge of food insecurity and earn less two million tonnes. Beyond than $1 per day – can afford the initial This has generated a lot of excitement, Good investments to transition to agroforestry”. although it is worth bearing in mind that, It points out that Ivory Coast has seen even before the 2016 price crash, cocoa 18 many tree distribution campaigns, and farmers’ average incomes were less than less than 2% of the trees survived even in half of the $2.40 per day deemed the cut the short term. off for ‘extreme poverty’ in Ivory Coast. However, it may be the start of “An OPEC for cocoa” governments working together to control Pacari As described, nearly all of the problems cocoa prices more decisively. Commodity in cocoa are linked to poverty. Most West agreements to control prices were 18.5 African cocoa farmers are desperately common in the 1970s, prior to the current poor. Since the 1980s, the average era of extreme neoliberalism. (inflation adjusted) cocoa price has Nearly all chocolate companies have Mia halved. issued statements in favour of the price Fairafric And the really big cocoa news is that support. Nestlé and Pladis (Godiva) 17 governments of Ivory Coast and Ghana initially did not, and a SumOfUs petition 16.5 are finally starting to take more drastic asking them to garnered over 150,000 action on prices. signatures, but Nestlé has now put a Cocoa is a partially regulated industry. note of support on its website saying “we In Ghana, the national cocoa marketing support efforts from the governments of board Cocobod buys all the cocoa in the Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana to improve living Chocolat country, which it then sells on, paying a standards.” Madagascar fixed price. In the Ivory Coast the system It is difficult to see how it could make was liberalised at the behest of the IMF a huge difference to companies’ bottom 15 lines given that the money that goes to BRANDS NOT ON THE TABLE cocoa farmers is only about 3-7% of the Divine final value of a bar of chocolate. We didn’t have room on the table for 12.5 the following brands: l Nestlé – Aero, After Eight, Black Certification schemes Magic, Crunch, Dairy Box, Lion bar, Matchmakers, Milkybar, Munchies, One of the main things that the publicity Quality Street, Rolo, Smarties, Toffee around child labour has done is led to Crisp, Walnut Whip, Yorkie a huge increase in certification, and RECOMMENDED l Mondelez (Cadbury) – Cote between a quarter and a third of all D’Or, Crunchie, Fry’s, Milka, Terry’s, global cocoa production is now grown Also recommended is Tony’s Toblerone, Heroes, Milk Tray, Roses, under a certification label – the most Chocolonely, which has put a lot of Bournville, Flake, Curly Wurly, Green & popular being Rainforest Alliance, and effort into trying to tackle child labour. Black’s non-Fairtrade then Fairtrade. l Mars – Bounty, Celebrations, M&Ms, As these schemes have failed to solve Milky Way, Revels, Snickers, Twix, a lot of the problems in the industry, Topic, Maltesers non-Fairtrade, Galaxy enthusiasm for them has been waning l Supermarkets non-Fairtrade somewhat. BRANDS TO AVOID brands: M&S, Morrisons, Aldi [RA] “Certification does not seem to l Montezuma [O] and non [O], Plamil significantly increase farmer income, Nestlé is one of the world’s most [O, V] and [RA, Vg], Moo Free [RA,V], or protect against environmental harms campaigned against companies. For a Seed and Bean [O], Divine [F] or labour grievances” says the VOICE full profile, see page 17. network.

ethicalconsumer.org 13 SHOPPING GUIDE Chocolate

That doesn’t mean, however, that Fair pricing? In-house corporate sustainability certification does nothing. It also states: As poverty underlies all of the issues in schemes for chocolate “There are several ways in which cocoa, pricing is central. Most of the big chocolate companies now certification plays an important role to It is part of the general Fairtrade model have their own sustainability schemes: make value chains more transparent; it to have a minimum price, which must be Mondelēz (Cadbury)’s ‘Cocoa Life’, is one of the few ways by which higher paid when the market price falls below Nestlé’s ‘Cocoa Plan’, Hotel Chocolat’s prices and premiums can potentially it. In cocoa, however, it is currently lower ‘Engaged Ethics’, Mars’ ‘Cocoa for be delivered to the farm gate, and than the governments’, and won’t be Generations’, and the Lindt & Sprüngli certification plays an important role in doing anything. Rainforest Alliance has ‘Farming Program’. supporting farmer organisation.” no minimum price. These are largely focused on farmer Thus, we still think that certification Fairtrade also has a price premium, training schemes to boost productivity, is worth supporting. Both Rainforest which goes to the farmers co-op to the execution of Cocoa & Forests Initiative Alliance and Fairtrade are likely to make a spend on community projects. Its cocoa plans, and some roll out of Child Labour difference, even if it is a small one. premium is $240/tonne, so about 13% of Monitoring and Remediation Systems the farmgate price. Rainforest Alliance (CLMRS). Deforestation has introduced a ‘minimum standard CLMRS schemes empower local Both Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance differential’ (basically a premium) of representatives to tackle child labour, and involve auditing to ensure that farmers $70 per tonne, although it states that have been found to have some success. are keeping to their standards. companies ought to pay more. The And as Nick Weatherill, Executive Fairtrade was previously a bit lax on average paid in 2019 was around $100 per Director of the International Cocoa deforestation, but tightened its standards tonne. Initiative (an organisation funded by in 2019. Its new standard demands This isn’t nothing. But Fairtrade readily the chocolate companies to tackle child that certified farmers “do not destroy admits that its prices are still below the labour), told us: “currently only about 10- vegetation in carbon storage ecosystems”. living income level. It calculated a ‘Living 20% of farmers in West Africa are covered Rainforest Alliance forbids Income Reference Price’ – the farmgate by them.” Company efforts to ramp them deforestation, and it has developed a price that it believes that farmers need up are thus to be encouraged. special ‘Cocoa Assurance Plan’ after it to live on – of $2200 per tonne in Cote However, overall these company found 84 certified groups in April 2019 d’Ivoire and $2100 in Ghana (equal to schemes tend to be quite vague about that contained farms in protected areas. an export price of about $3000), plus what they actually contain and shouldn’t It has now paused all new certifications in the premium. The VOICE network is be seen as equivalent to Rainforest Ghana and Ivory Coast, while it gets GPS not impressed, saying: “knowing how Alliance or Fairtrade. Lindt, Mondelez, location data on all farms. much you should pay, while not paying it, and Nestlé’s schemes do contain an cannot be considered sustainable.” auditing process, but the other schemes But although the price supports may do not mention one. Many of them talk in not be strong enough, as Fairtrade’s vague terms about paying decent prices, premium will be making a difference, but figures are lacking. we give a full additional mark in our It is also pretty confusing for each Ethiscore system for Fairtrade-certified company to have a scheme with its produce. As Rainforest Alliance’s own special name, as if it is an external premium is less than half the size of certification scheme, when these schemes Fairtrade’s, it only gets a half. are basically the companies’ own corporate responsibility programmes. A cynic might think that that is part of the point.

Going beyond certifications If certification isn’t enough, other models are required. One of the major factors likely to lead to higher standards is companies being closely involved with individual farmers – buying from them directly, having long- term contracts to give them security, and knowing where their farms are. l Tony’s Chocolonely builds partnerships directly with cooperatives in Ghana and Ivory Coast. It says that it ensures that traders keep its beans separately, so it knows that they come from the coops they work with. l The company called Beyond Good

14 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 (which used to be called “Madécasse”) has Other companies using this model Chocolate melts anywhere in the world if got itself certified as ‘direct trade’ as it buys in this guide are Pacari, which makes above 24°C, so how do the rich countries directly from Madagascan farmers. it in Ecuador, and three which make (USA, Europe, Asia) get chocolate around l Divine is also partly owned by cocoa it in Madagascar: Mia, Chocolate without melting? They use cool transport, farmers themselves. This means that they Madagascar and Beyond Good (Beyond so why should we think it is not possible?” are intimately connected with the company. Good’s chocolate is only partially made There is also a potential regional All of these companies are worth in Madagascar. The other two make the African market, and helping the industry supporting. entirety of their chocolate there). get going can support that. And as we mentioned last time, the We also recommend buying from ‘value added at source’ business model, these companies, as this model is very in which chocolate is made locally and promising in terms of its impact on Campaigning shipped as a finished product, promises to poverty. make a much bigger impact on poverty in Some people have argued that The Co-operative Party is running a cocoa-producing countries. While the cocoa chocolate made at source will always be campaign to try to protect Ghanaian farmer only gets about 3-7% of the final too expensive to sell substantial amounts farmers, including cocoa farmers, from chocolate price, about 40% of it is taken at in the rich world, due to problems such high post-Brexit tariffs. the manufacturing stage. as it melting in the heat. However, Neil It points out that without a Brexit deal, Kelsall from Chocolate Madagascar told when the transition period ends and the Made-at-source chocolate is us: UK leaves the EU on 1 January, exorbitant growing “Everybody thought it was impossible tariffs will be slapped on Ghanaian Last time we looked at it, we didn’t know to export Chocolate from Madagascar at farmers’ exports, potentially doing severe of anyone selling chocolate wholly made the beginning, using negative arguments damage to their ability to sell cocoa to the in West Africa in the UK. But Fairafric like, its hot, its corrupt, there are no UK on decent terms. has now built a solar-powered factory in skills, etc, etc, but since starting in 2004, Ghana and is just starting to produce its there are now three chocolate factories To sign their petition, go to first bars. in Madagascar ... Please remember https://party.coop/fairdealforfairtrade SCORE TABLE HIGHLIGHTS Cocoa sourcing policy Ethical vegan Palm oil in chocolate

Due to the child labour issue, all chocolate Chocolate itself does not generally companies who were deemed to have l Wholly vegan companies are Plamil, contain palm oil. However, fillings such insufficient policies on cocoa sourcing Pacari, Booja-Booja, Moo Free, Vego, as biscuit commonly do, so we rated lost half a mark under Workers’ Rights. Beyond Good and Mia. They get an extra all of the companies on their palm oil Companies were rated as follows: mark in our Ethiscore ranking under policies. They received the following Sufficient cocoa sourcing policies: ‘Company Ethos’. rating for their palm policies, but some Cocoa Loco, Lindt, Traidcraft, Equal l Plain or dark chocolate is not always had added criticisms which knocked Exchange, iChoc, Vivani, Ritter Sport, vegan, but the vegan options are now them down a rung (Hershey’s, Ferrero, Lidl, Divine, Tony’s Chocolonely, plentiful. As it is not uncommon, we Mondelez, Mars and Nestle): Fairafric, Vego, Beyond Good, Chocolate haven’t given any extra marks for it. Madagascar, Pacari, Co-op, Moo l Many companies are now also making Palm oil free: Free, Willies, Ombar, Mia. vegan alternatives intended to taste like Divine, Beyond Good, Chocolat Madagascar, Insufficient: Ferrero, milk chocolate. We gave their products Pacari, Moo Free, Booja-Booja, Seed and Mondelez (Cadbury, a mark for their efforts. They are made Bean, Montezuma, Tony’s Chocolonely, Fairafric, Vego, Willies, Ombar, Mia. Green & Blacks), by Plamil, Pacari, Moo Free, Chocolat Mars, Biona, Tesco, Madagascar, Vego, iChoc, Montezuma, Best: Marks & Spencer, Hotel Chocolat, Ombar, Mars (Galaxy), Plamil, Traidcraft, Ferrero, Mondelēz, Mars, Waitrose, Nestlé, Guylian. Cocoa Loco, Equal Exchange, Biona, Tesco, Aldi, Hershey’s, These can be identified on our score Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Hershey’s. ASDA, Morrisons, table by the letter [V] after the brand Middle: Sainsbury’s, name. All of our Best Buy companies offer Vivani, Ritter Sport, Lindt, Nestlé, iChoc, Hotel Chocolat, vegan chocolate brands. Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op, Guylian, Supermarkets also provide Sainsbury’s. Godiva, Plamil, a small selection of “free Worst: Booja Booja, from” chocolate, which is not Hotel Chocolat, Guylian, Godiva, Lidl UK, Aldi. Seed and Bean, included on our score table. Montezuma. Those marketed as vegan can Palm oil free chocolate is covered in be found at Co-op, Morrison’s, more detail on our special webpage at Sainsbury’s and Tesco. www.ethicalconsumer.org/palm-oil/ palm-oil-free-chocolate

ethicalconsumer.org 15 SHOPPING GUIDE Chocolate Companies behind the brands

Fairafric is a German company that was founded by its CEO Hendrik Reimers after he had been backpacking in Africa. He wasn’t impressed by certification, saying that “a couple of percent more income on almost nothing is still almost nothing.” Instead, he was convinced that the way out of poverty was making finished products locally, and decided to make chocolate bean to bar in Ghana. Fairafric is 59% owned by Reimers himself, but Ludwig Weinrich GmbH (which also owns Vivani, iChoc and 80% of Divine) has a 24% stake. The company buys cocoa from farmers with whom it has long-term personal relationships and pays high prices, saying that it pays a premium of $600/tonne. It is palm oil free, uses organic ingredients and discusses its “I joined Kuapa Kokoo because the policies are very good and it environmental impact. belongs to the farmers. Democracy has its own power – that’s why I Fairafric is just starting to produce its first ‘bean to bar’ wanted to join,” said Nare Penten. chocolate in Ghana. They can be purchased from its website https://fairafric.com Tony’s also gets somewhat marked down in our system because it’s single focus on child labour means that it doesn’t really discuss environmental issues anywhere. However, it is definitely an activist company.

Divine was until recently 45% owned by the Ghanaian Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers co-op, a syndicate with about 65,000 members who together produce about 5% of Ghanaian cocoa. Kuapa Kokoo means ‘good cocoa farmer’. The remainder of Divine was owned by Twin Trading and Oikocredit, a Dutch microfinance institution. Divine has now been partly sold. While 20% is still owned by Kuapa, the remaining 80% is now owned by Ludwig Weinrich GmbH. While it is disappointing to see the proportion owned by Kuapa fall, Divine points out that Kuapa still receives a share of dividends, and still has two representatives on the Divine board. Fairafric’s model increases Africa’s share of the value chain in the It says that partially owning a chocolate company gives Kuapa chocolate industry by not only sourcing the cocoa in Africa but by farmers a voice in the cocoa industry and a ‘seat at the table’. producing the chocolate from bean to (wrapped) bar in Ghana. Therefore, we still think that it is a company worth supporting. Kuapa was created in the 1990s with the help of Christian Tony’s Chocolonely is a Dutch company that has been going Aid, The Body Shop and Twin Trading – the company behind for over a decade but only recently started selling in the UK. It Cafédirect’s coffee. It launched Divine Chocolate in 1997 with was started by journalist and activist Teun van de Keuken who some additional help from Comic Relief, who promoted it in the is a long-standing campaigner against child labour in cocoa UK in a series of TV adverts starring Ben Elton. farming. Early in the century he recorded himself eating 17 bars of chocolate and then took himself to court for "knowingly purchasing an illegally manufactured product", persuading four former child slaves from Ivory Coast to testify against him. In 2007, the Dutch attorney general dismissed the case. After that Van de Keuken changed tack and decided to make his own chocolate instead. Tony’s has its own five-part system for trying to reduce child labour: direct trading with farmers, paying higher prices, strengthening farmer organisations, long- term trading relationships, and helping improve farming practices. The higher price strand includes Tony’s own premium, which is substantially higher than Fairtrade’s. However, the VOICE network has criticised Tony’s for failing to abide by Fairtrade’s minimum price, meaning that the extra premium may just be making up the difference between Fairtrade’s minimum and the market price. Premiums, which go into collective community funds, are not equivalent to money that is actually received by the The unevenly sized chunks of their 180g bars are to remind us that the farmer. profits in the chocolate industry are unfairly divided.

16 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 The continuing controversies of Nestlé

estlé SA, the Switzerland-based parent of the Nestlé group, is the world’s biggest consumer goods company. Its total stock market valuation is the highest of any European company3 and, over the 20th century, it played a key role in the popularisation of a number of consumer goods Nwe take for granted today, such as milk chocolate and instant coffee. The Baby Milk Boycott NESTLÉ BRANDS TO BOYCOTT Henri Nestlé created his first infant formula from cow’s milk, flour and sugar in Switzerland in 1867.4 Roughly 100 years later, in 1974, Nestlé states on its website that it has over Nestlé baby milk became the subject of an international scandal with 2,000 brands. Here, we list many of the brands the publication of War on Want’s ‘The Baby Killer’, which claimed UK consumers will be familiar with: that it was discouraging breastfeeding through its promotion of breast l Baby food/milk: Cerelac, SMA. milk substitutes. l Cereals: Cheerios, Cookie Crisp, Curiously Boycotts were launched against Nestlé in numerous countries.5 An Cinnamon, Golden Grahams, Golden Nuggets, international marketing code (the ‘WHO Code’) was developed to prevent Lion, NAT Bears, Nesquik Cereal, Shredded Wheat, the comparison of manufactured baby milk with breastmilk. In response Shreddies. to the clamour, Nestlé implemented its own policy based on the code during l Chocolate/confectionery: Aero, After Eight, the 1980s.6 Animal Bar, Black Magic, Blue Riband, Breakaway, However, many still view Nestlé’s marketing as irresponsible and Caramac, Crunch, Dairy Box, Drifter, KitKat, Lion dangerous. Baby Milk Action has thus been running a UK boycott of Nestlé, Bar, Matchmakers, Milkybar, Polo mints, Quality since 1988. Street, Rolo, Rowntree’s, Smarties, Toffee Crisp, While Nestlé may have accepted that exclusive breastfeeding for 0-6 Walnut Whip, Yorkie. See Chocolate guide. months is the best for infant nutrition, the market for formula for 6+ months l Coffee and drinks: Coffee-Mate, Milo, Nescafé, is growing. Nestlé’s own report found 107 instances of non-compliance with Nespresso, Nesquik, Nido its baby milk marketing policy in 2019.19,20 l Dairy: Munch Bunch, Nestlé Carnation, Rachel’s A 2019 report from Changing Markets Foundation found that Nestlé was Dairy, Ski still comparing its own products with human milk.8 l Food: Herta, Maggi, Tivall l Ice Cream (mostly owned by Froneri, a joint venture between Nestlé and PAI Partners): The Bottled Water Boycott Cadbury, Daim, Del Monte, Extrême, Fab, Green & Blacks, Kelly’s of Cornwall, Lyons Maid, Maxibon, Nestlé has courted further widespread criticism for its approach to Mövenpick, Nobbly Bobbly, Nuii, Oreo Ice Cream, sourcing its bottled water. Perfectly Baked, Roar Plant Based, Skinny Cow, In Canada, Nestlé faces boycotts from non-profit The Council of Canadians Toffee Crumble, Toblerone Ice Cream, Treats, and indigenous rights organisation Lakota People’s Law Project for extracting Yoo Moo. water from watersheds that have seen droughts in recent years.9,10 l Pet food: Adventuros, Bakers, Bonio, Felix, Nestlé also took millions of gallons from a California creek network for GoCat, Gourmet, Lily’s Kitchen, Purina, Purina Beta, a US water brand, leading the US Forest Service to state “the current water Purina One, Winalot. extraction is drying up surface water resources”.11 Further conflicts between l Water: Acqua Panna, Buxton, Nestlé Pure Life, communities and Nestlé over water extraction have occurred in Maine, Perrier, Princes Gate, San Pellegrino, Vittel. Michigan and Florida. The company’s US water operations are littered l L’Oreal: Nestlé also owns 23% of L’Oréal, with court cases and lobbying. 11 meaning it has financial links with such brands as Garnier, Maybelline, NYX, Essie, Biotherm, Lancôme, and Kiehl’s. See Can Nestlé reform? Perfume & Aftershave guide.

Nestlé is making some efforts to improve practices. All the cocoa for its UK chocolate is Rainforest Alliance certified, References: 3 www.statista.com/statistics/263264/ top-companies-in-the-world-by-market- and it was the first chocolate company to introduce a Child capitalization 4 www.nestle.com/aboutus/history/ Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) to nestle-company-history 5 www.theguardian.com/ sustainable-business/nestle-baby-milk-scandal- tackle child labour, which has been widely praised. After food-industry-standards 6 www.nestle.com/ major protests, in 2020, Nestlé announced that it was ask-nestle/our-company/answers/nestle-boycott 8 changingmarkets.org/portfolio/milking-it 9 leaving the Canadian bottled water market. However, it canadians.org/nestle 10 action.lakotalaw.org/ is selling its facilities and wells to another major water action/nestlepledge 11 www.theguardian. com/environment/2019/oct/29/the-fight- taking company, Ice River Springs. Nestlé’s website over-water-how-nestle-dries-up-us-creeks- to-sell-water-in-plastic-bottles 19 www. states “To align our goals to the 1.5°C pathway, we are swissinfo.ch/eng/milk-for-older-babies_ transforming our operations. This will lead to a major shift nestlé-struggles-to-win-over-infant-formula- critics/45473338 20 www.nutraingredients. in the way our ingredients are produced and sourced.” com/Article/2020/09/01/Nestle-owns-up-to- We’ll see. breast-milk-substitute-marketing-fails

ethicalconsumer.org 17 SHOPPING GUIDE Fruit juice Is fruit juice really good for us?

JANE TURNER looks at its impact on us and the environment.

his guide only covers 100% pure Chilled and freshly squeezed juices are Diabetes UK says that “half a pint (or juice. Many of the companies in more expensive, but although they may half a carton) of fruit juice contains more this guide also make vegetable have the edge on flavour, nutritionally sugar then the WHO recommends having juice and smoothies but we focus they are the same as long-life juices. in a whole day (30 g sugar for 11years to Ton the more popular drink, fruit juice, adult, 24 g for 7 to 10-year olds). And this here. is easily the amount that someone might Juice drinks have sugars, sweeteners, Fruit juice and sugar drink in a day. preservatives, flavourings or colourings added to fruit juice. They are covered in Pure fruit juices are exempt from paying How to manage sugar intake the Soft Drinks guide. the sugar tax (see page 27) as their The sugar in fruit juice still contributes The market is dominated by the two sugar is not ‘added’ during production. to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and tooth big US soft drinks megaliths – PepsiCo However, they can contain equally high decay because it is a ‘free sugar’ in liquid and Coca-Cola – neither of which make levels of sugar. form which is rapidly absorbed by the a Fairtrade or organic variety. Happily, body. there are some smaller, more ethical Whole fruit, on the other hand, is alternatives, although Fairtrade brands considered to be much better for health are thin on the ground. because, although it contains just as much sugar, the fibre slows down its absorption. The skin and pulp of whole fruit also What is fruit juice? contains other nutrients not present in just the juice. And fruit juice is a more Fruit juice is usually described as: concentrated source of sugars than whole l From concentrate – Juice is extracted fruit – 12 g of sugar in a medium orange from the fruit and the water content is but 21g in a glass (250 ml) of orange juice. reduced in the country of origin. The If you do want to drink juice, it is concentrated juice is usually frozen and recommended that you only have 150 ml shipped to the country of use for packing. a day which currently also counts as one Fruit juice packers then reconstitute the of your 5-a-day. But juice can only ever juice by adding back the water. count as one portion a day, no matter how l Not from concentrate– Juice is much you drink. extracted from the fruit in the country of The British Dental Association has this origin and then lightly pasteurised and advice: frozen or chilled and transported to the l Always drink juice with meals and country where it will be packed. never before bedtime. l Freshly squeezed– Juice is extracted For example, a 150 ml glass of l Choose 100% fruit juices with no from the fruit and used immediately. Tropicana orange juice (the bestselling added sugar. ‘Not from concentrate’ is often thought brand in the UK) has 12.6g of sugar whilst l Pick apple or berry juice over citrus, of being a better-quality juice than ‘from 150 ml of Coca-Cola has 15.9g – not vastly which is worse for teeth and more likely to concentrate’ but there is no difference in different. Put another way, a glass of erode enamel than other juices. them nutritionally, and they have both Tropicana has the same sugar as three l Fruit juice softens tooth enamel, which been pasteurised. and a half Hob Nob biscuits. protects teeth from decay, so wait one

WHY WE’RE NOT DOING BOTTLED WATER? A fully referenced In 2017, we did a guide to bottled water which recommended that you don’t buy it in the UK because of version of the packaging issues and the fact that it is easily replaced with tap water in refillable water bottles. We this Product have therefore decided not to update that guide this time, but it is still on our website and contains lots Guide is on our website of links to refillable bottle makers and tap water campaigns. Check it out at www.ethicalconsumer.org/ food-drink/shopping-guide/bottled-water

18 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Is fruit juice really good for us?

on sites which supply supermarkets in Europe. Plus, the report also uncovered farms with poor working conditions and inadequate protection against exposure to pesticides. These sorts of conditions are likely to be widespread in other countries growing tropical fruits like pineapples. Unfortunately, there are very few widely available Fairtrade certified juices – only Calypso (orange juice and apple juice) and Co-op (orange juice) are in this guide. The company behind Fruit Hit, top of the table and the only Fairtrade Best Buy in our last guide in 2017, is unfortunately no longer in business. The company also owned the alternative Fairtrade cola brand Ubuntu too. One option to safeguard workers’ rights may therefore be to avoid tropical juices but then hour after drinking before brushing your again, as economist Joan teeth. This will give the enamel time to Robinson argued:“the only harden. thing worse than being l Avoid flavoured water, as it also exploited by global capital contains lots of sugar. is not being exploited by l Never drink juice from the bottle, or global capital”. give juice to small children in bottles, as this bathes the teeth in juice and increases the chances of damage. l Drink fruit juice heavily diluted with water. l Vegetable juice often has less sugar than fruit juice – i.e. tomato juice is 3% sugar whereas orange juice typically has around 8%. But watch out for added salt.

Why choose Fairtrade or organic Brazil is the world’s top exporter of orange juice, growing 60% of the world’s juice oranges. And orange juice is the bestselling juice in the UK (followed by apple, pineapple and grapefruit). Oxfam published an investigation into conditions on tropical fruit farms in North East Brazil in October 2019. It found widespread and systemic poverty among

seasonal workers, particularly women, | Dreamstime.com © Kateleigh

ethicalconsumer.org 19 USING THE TABLES Environment Animals People Politics +ve USING THE TABLES Ethiscore: the higher the score, the Positive ratings (+ve): better the company. Scored out of 14. Plus up to 1 extra point for Company Company Ethos: Ethos and up to 5 extra points for e = full mark Product Sustainability. = half mark Green (good) = 12+ E Product Sustainability: Amber (average) = 11.5–5 Red (poor) = 4.5–0 Various positive marks available depending on sector. H = worst rating h = middle rating = bes t rating/no criticisms found Best Buys are highlighted in blue

BRAND 14 + 6 extras) (out of Ethiscore Reporting Environmental Change Climate & Toxics Pollution Habitats & Resources Oil Palm Animal Testing Farming Factory Animal Rights Human Rights Rights Workers’ Chain Management Supply Marketing Irresponsible Arms & Military Supply Technologies Controversial Call Boycott Activity Political Finance Anti-Social Conduct Tax Ethos Company Sustainability Product COMPANY GROUP

Luscombe [O] 15 h h e 1 Luscombe Drinks Ltd Pip Organic [O] 15 h h e 1 Booost Trading Ltd Suma Apple Concentrate [O] 14 HH e 1 Triangle Wholefoods Collective Biona [O] 13 HH h h e 1 Windmill Organics Ltd Suma Apple Concentrate 13 HH e Triangle Wholefoods Collective Beet It Organic [O] 12 HH H 1 James White Drinks

Cawston Press 12 HH H e Cawston Press Ltd James White Organic [O] 12 HH H 1 James White Drinks Simply 12 h h H AG Barr plc Zinger [O] 12 HH H 1 James White Drinks Big Tom tomato 11 HH H James White Drinks James White 11 HH H James White Drinks Zingers 11 HH H James White Drinks Calypso Fairtrade [F] 9.5 h H h H h H h h 1 Refresco/BCI/PAI Partners

Waitrose Duchy apple [O] 9.5 h H h h h H h H h h e 1 John Lewis/Prince's Charities Welch's 9.5 HH H H h h E National Grape Co-op/Refresco Ocean Spray 9 HH HH h h h E Refresco/Ocean Spray Calypso 8.5 h H h H h H h h Refresco/BCI/PAI Partners Sunpride 8.5 h H h H h H h h Refresco/BCI/PAI Partners Rocks apple concentrate [O] 8 HH H HH H h h 1 SHS Group Ltd

Co-op orange [F] 7 H h h h h H H h H h H h E 1 Co-operative Group Ltd PomeGreat 7 H H h h h H h HH The Wonderful Company LLC PomWonderful 7 H H h h h H h HH The Wonderful Company LLC Rocks pear concentrate 7 HH H HHH h h SHS Group Ltd

Co-op 6 H h h h h H H h H h H h E Co-operative Group Ltd Del Monte 6 h H h H H h h H h h H Refresco/Fresh Del Monte M&S 6 h H h h H H H H h h h Marks & Spencer Group plc Johnsons Juice Co 5 H H h H H h H h h h h H Hain Celestial Group

Waitrose 4.5 hHHH hHHHH H h h E John Lewis Partnership Aldi 3.5 h HHHhHHHhHh h hh Aldi South Lidl 3 h HHHH HHHHh h h H Schwarz Group Morrisons 2.5 h HHHhHHHhH H hh H Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc Sainsbury's apple & orange [O] 2.5 hHHHhhHHHHhH H hH 1 J Sainsbury plc Innocent 2 hHH H HHHHHh hhH H Coca-Cola Company Copella 1.5 h h h h H H H H H H h h h h H h H PepsiCo Inc Princes, Jucee 1.5 HHhHh HHHhh HH HhH Mitsubishi Group Naked 1.5 hhhhHHHHHHhh hhHhH PepsiCo Inc Sainsbury's 1.5 hHHHhhHHHHhH H hH J Sainsbury plc Tesco apple & orange [O] 1.5 hHHHhHHHHH H h HHH 1 Tesco plc Tropicana 1.5 hhhhHHHHHHhh hhHhH PepsiCo Inc Tesco 0.5 hHHHhHHHHH H h HHH Tesco plc Asda 0 hHHHHHHHHHHHHh HHH Walmart Inc.

All the research behind these ratings is available for subscribers to see on the score tables on www.ethicalconsumer.org Definitions of all the categories are at www.ethicalconsumer.org/our-ethical-ratings [O] = organic [F] = Fairtrade m nsu er o .o c r l g

a Best Buys are decided by the editorial team based on the research we have undertaken, the scoring system and the unique insight into the

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i issues that our editorial team has. 9 times out of 10 this will be the brand (or brands) that are top of the table but sometimes an ethical

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t e Y company which is truly innovative scores less well on our rigid scoring system and we use the Best Buy and Recommended section to BES T BU acknowledge this. A company cannot be a Best Buy if it scores worst for Supply Chain Management.

20 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 m nsu er o .o c r l g

a

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Organic Environmental impact i

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Choosing organic is another option BEST t e Y which protects the environment, the A study into the environmental impact BUYS BE BU growers who have to apply the pesticides of the entire lifecycle of different fruits, S T and the consumer who may consume which included how much energy, land them. and water was needed to grow them, Opt for either Fairtrade or organic. Look There are more of these in the shops found that, of the fruits most often used out for juice from your local small-scale – Luscombe (all juice is organic), Biona to make juices, mangoes had by far organic farm. (all juice is organic), Pip Organic (all juice the biggest impact, followed by grapes. Our Best Buys are organic juices is organic), James White, Suma, Rocks, Grapefruits, apples, oranges and pears from Luscombe, Pip Organic, Biona Waitrose Duchy Organic, Sainsbury’s SO had the least impact, a third of the and Suma (apple juice concentrate). Organic, and Tesco. impact of mangoes. Luscombe only comes in glass bottles If you can’t always buy organic, a recent Mike Berners-Lee has looked and sells organic UK apple juice. survey by Pesticides Action Network of specifically at the carbon footprint of

the pesticide residues on fruit and veg things. He concluded the following CO2e sold in the UK helps you prioritise. emissions for apples and oranges and a Luscombe Here are the stats for fruits commonly couple of other fruits for comparison: used in juices: 15 Pip l apple from garden 0g Organic % of samples with multiple residues* l local and seasonal apple 32g Grapefruit 99 l imported and seasonal apple 80g 15 Strawberries 89 l orange 150g Grapes 78 l 250g of local, seasonal Pears 66 strawberries 490g Apples 52 l 1kg of local and seasonal Blackberries tomatoes 1,300g Suma & blueberries 51 But he did state that in early summer, * the ‘cocktail effect’ on health of combining 14 pesticides is unknown when local apples have been in cold storage for months, imported seasonal To avoid these, make sure you buy apples may be the lower carbon option. organic versions of juices with these fruits Basically, in terms of carbon, apples Biona in. All the companies listed above make and oranges aren’t too bad. organic apple juice. Additionally, Biona But, making fruit into juice and then 13 Pip Organic makes organic grape juice and blueberry packaging it only adds to the impact of comes in Tetra Paks juice, James White does organic pear, your fruit juice. The processes involved or recycled PET bottles. Suma sells Pip Organic apple & strawberry and include washing, extracting, refining and concentrated apple juice (makes 3-4 Luscombe organic apple & pear. pasteurisation, and refrigeration. Then litres) in glass. Biona comes in glass or If your favourite is grapefruit, you’re there’s transportation, which uses more Tetra Pak and sells organic apple. out of luck. energy especially if the juice is ‘not from continued overleaf... RECOMMENDED

Price comparison We also recommend James White organic juices (glass bottles), Co-op We have compared the prices of our organic or Fairtrade orange juice (Tetra Pak), and Fairtrade Best Buy and Recommended brands Calypso Fairtrade orange juice and to the bestselling brand of apple juice, PepsiCo’s apple juice (Tetra Pak, available from Copella which is neither Fairtrade or organic. Traidcraft). © Jianghongyan | Dreamstime.com © Jianghongyan Brand Price per litre £1.35 (approx. cost for BRANDS TO AVOID Suma organic Concentrate making 1L juice) Co-op orange Fairtrade £1.70 The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Pepsico’s Copella £2.20 are both notorious for human rights Biona organic £3.49 abuses in their supply chains. We would recommend avoiding the fruit Calypso Fairtrade £3.50 juice brands owned by these two James White organic £3.55 companies: Pip Organic £5.32 • Coca-Cola’s Innocent and Copella • Pepsico’s Tropicana and Naked Luscombe organic £6.25

ethicalconsumer.org 21 SHOPPING GUIDE Fruit juice

concentrate’ and therefore still contains reported that their freshly squeezed all its water, making it heavier. Once in orange juice had about twice the carbon the shops and at home, there is a further footprint of its long-life impact of refrigeration if the juice is from variety. the chiller cabinet or freshly squeezed. l Juices labelled as ‘from concentrate’ What is a greener cut down on transportation juice? impacts. Those sold as concentrates l Eating whole fruit, which cuts rather than having out some of these impacts, especially their water added UK-grown fruit which cuts down on back in are even transportation or food miles. better – Suma and Rocks both make l If you do buy juice, go for long-life organic versions. which doesn’t need refrigerating. Tesco l Choose juice made from UK-grown fruit like apples or pears. They are unlikely to have been kept in cold storage before they have been made into juice. You’ll need to make sure it says English or British apple juice on it though. You can’t assume that apple juice comes from UK-grown apples. We import 80% of our apples. Plus, it’s pretty simple and cuts out all For example, China is the the carbon and resource issues. world’s biggest grower of apples, followed by the USA. Calypso’s Fairtrade apple juice What companies are comes from South Africa. l Organic British apple juice – doing about their Luscombe, Waitrose Duchy carbon emissions l Non-organic British apple juice – James White, Waitrose. Our new ‘Carbon reporting and Alternatively, a local supplier may be management’ rating in the Climate best for UK-grown fruit juice. Check out Change column looks at what companies farmers markets, local box schemes and are saying and doing about reducing small independent food retailers. their carbon emissions. All of the companies in this guide get a worst rating bar four – AG Barr and Alternatives to Sainsbury’s, which get a middle rating and M&S and PepsiCo, which are top the buying juice pile with a best rating. Many of the issues in this guide can This means that most companies failed be addressed or avoided by taking a to even talk about what they were doing to number of alternative courses: cut emissions. l Eat whole fruit and veg instead. AG Barr only missed the mark by l Make your own juice from not talking about scope 3 emissions locally grown, organic, whole (emissions from suppliers). Sainsbury’s fruit – still better than a fizzy did talk about these, but as a petrol soft drink because of all retailer it fell short of a best rating. their other ingredients M&S and PepsiCo reported all their like sweeteners, emissions and had targets to cut them artificial colouring by 2.5% or more per year, in line with and preservatives. international agreements.

22 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 and don’t break down fully, only into The problem with packaging smaller pieces of plastic. That may take up to 450 years. PET bottles take much more energy to Soft drinks mainly come in plastic bottles or aluminium cans, but you can also make than Tetra Paks, and their carbon get them in Tetra Pak cartons or glass. Fruit juice mainly comes in plastic bottles footprint is much higher – around 350 g or Tetra Pak but sometimes glass bottles. But which is the best option for the CO2e/litre. They can’t be reused, as the environment? It’s a tricky question and depends on your priorities – some are better sterilisation would damage the plastic. in terms of carbon whilst others are better in terms of reuse, recycling and waste. You can recycle them but, in the best- Glass and aluminium can both be ‘closed loop’ recycled – turned back into the same case scenario in terms of the amount of product, a potentially limitless number of times. Plastic, however, degrades each time recycling likely to happen, their carbon you melt it. Although plastic bottles and cartons can be recycled, it is thus into a lower footprint only attains levels similar to the quality material, and only so many cycles are possible. absolute worst-case scenario for Tetra Paks.8 Tetra Paks Glass Most beverage cartons are made by the Swedish company Tetra Pak, and the Glass bottles have been recycled into company name has become synonymous new glass bottles for many years and with the product, although there are they are infinitely recyclable, in a closed a few other companies that also make loop. Around 68% of glass bottles are them. recycled in the UK,4 which is the highest The cartons are about 75% card, but rate of all the packaging options here, this is layered with plastic (polyethylene) behind only paper and cardboard. Much and, in the ones that are designed to of this recycling is carried out in the UK, preserve liquids outside of the fridge, a unlike in the case of plastic bottles.10 thin layer of aluminium. They also take less water to make than They can be recycled but are much PET bottles. less likely to be than glass bottles or However, glass bottles take a lot of aluminium cans. Globally, only about 26% energy to make, and also to transport of Tetra Paks are recycled (figures are not because of their weight. Both of these available for the UK).6 This means that contribute to glass’s carbon emissions there are lots of Tetra Paks with plastic being the highest of all the packaging and aluminium going into the waste types, even when you take into account stream. the likely amount of recycling that will And when they are recycled, it is not a efforts on ‘lightweighting’ – making PET happen. Manufacturers are, however, closed loop – they are mostly made into bottles thinner to reduce costs, plastic- looking at using thinner and therefore construction materials. use and carbon emissions – or adding lighter glass. But Tetra Paks take much less energy recycled content. The study above estimated the carbon to make than other forms of packaging, Some companies are using bioplastics, footprint of the type of glass bottle used and that makes them the winner in like PLA, which use plant material like for juice at between 500-760 grams/litre. climate terms. One study estimated a sugar cane or potato starch as a source one litre Tetra Pak carton as having a material. However, the large amount of carbon footprint of around 77-103 g CO2e/ land required to grow the raw materials Aluminium cans litre (see below for comparisons). Other raises serious issues. There are other estimates are similar or somewhat lower. environmental concerns, such as Aluminium is lighter than glass, which They are also lighter to transport pollution from crop fertilisers to take into reduces transportation costs, and, like and because empty Tetra Paks can be consideration. And vegans beware – some glass, it can be infinitely recycled with transported flat, you can also fit far bioplastics are made from agricultural no loss of quality. The rate of recycling more into one shipment than you could and industrial food waste such as feathers aluminium in the UK is 52%.4 According glass bottles, plus, when filled, they are and fish scales. to the Aluminium Association “Nearly regular shaped and therefore more space Around 59% of plastic bottles are 75% of all aluminium ever produced is efficient. recycled in the UK.1 Most recycled bottles still in use today.” are turned into polyester fibre – used for On the downside, the original clothing and furnishings.2 The lids are manufacture of aluminium involves Plastic bottles recycled into garden furniture, litter bins large amounts of energy use for smelting and pipes, which, in turn, are often not and the strip mining of bauxite which is Plastic bottles are typically made from recycled. environmentally destructive. PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) which Furthermore, roughly two-thirds of Aluminium cans thus have a high is made from oil, a non-renewable plastic waste in the UK is sent overseas to environmental and carbon footprint resource. Most companies are not be recycled – in part, to reduce costs.10 For at first, but it does fall dramatically reducing the amount of single-use the 40% or so of plastic bottles that are not when they are recycled. Recycling an bottles they use. They are focusing their recycled, they just sit in the environment aluminium can only uses 8% of the

ethicalconsumer.org 23 energy required to produce a new one. A Companies behind the brands 100% recycled glass bottle comparatively uses at least 70% of the energy required Princes is owned by Japanese On 16 May 2019, human rights defender, to make a new one. conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp, which Marvin Wilcox, was detained in Barú, A can made from virgin aluminium has operates in virtually every industry – Panama for allegedly blocking a path a carbon footprint of about 400 g CO2e per food, cars, energy, minerals (including and “being violent to a machine”. On the litre. At realistic recycling rates, it falls to coal and uranium) and crude oil. day, a number of machines were being just over half that. Princes was one of the companies used to destroy a banana plantation of criticised in 2017 for its tomato growing around 60 hectares, reportedly as part of in southern Italy, renowned for the an expansion project by Fresh Del Monte Which is best? labour abuses of migrant workers. Since Produce.2 then it has reviewed its supply chain. Marvin is leader of a group of rural This is hard to say, because there is Both Princes and its Napolina tomato producers seeking to protect their lands more than one issue at stake. brand now publish transparency data from multinational companies. Producers l In terms of climate change, Tetra showing the origin, journey and impacts in Barú have been prohibited from selling Pak cartons are the winner, followed by of its tomatoes, backed up by third-party their produce over the past months due plastic, then aluminium, and glass is the verifications of the evidence and QR codes to the implementation of a government worst. on cans. project which reportedly seeks to l In terms of plastic pollution and the Mitsubishi also part owns the dispossess over 400 producers of their ability to do closed loop recycling, glass Singapore-based rubber and palm oil lands to allow for the cultivation of bananas and aluminium are the winners. And company Olam International, which has by Del Monte.2 as you recycle them more times, their been criticised for deforestation in Gabon. Calyx is a new entry to this guide that carbon emissions start to fall back down Sainsbury’s is 22% owned by Qatar was recommended to us by a consumer. towards cartons and plastic. Investment Authority, a state-owned If you’re looking to support small black- Of course, whole fruit and vegetables company. Qatar has been criticised for owned businesses in the UK, this is a come in their own, biodegradable and its human rights issues, notably the great choice. Calyx is a vegan company compostable packaging! treatment of migrant workers hired to that does not use GMO or palm oil, and build the infrastructure for the 2022 currently uses 60-80% organic ingredients. football World Cup. It achieved Ethical Consumer’s best ratings A Guardian investigation in 2013, for Environmental Reporting and Carbon "found evidence to suggest that thousands Management and Reporting. of Nepalese, who make up the single PepsiCo receives an Ethiscore of 5.5 (in largest group of labourers in Qatar, face comparison to Coca-Cola’s 0). exploitation and abuses that amount to PepsiCo has faced criticism over modern-day slavery, as defined by the its actions in the Palestinian occupied International Labour Organization, during territories and its connections to the a building binge paving the way for 2022. Israeli defence forces. The central Boycott, Nepalese workers in Qatar have been Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) committee dying at a rate of almost one per day.”1 is currently targeting just seven brands. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and Pepsi owns two of them. punishable by death if you are a married One is Sabra hummus, a joint venture Muslim. between PepsiCo and the Strauss Group, Dutch company Wessanen, which makes an Israeli food company that provides Whole Earth organic drinks, used to financial support to the Israel Defense score quite highly and was a Best Buy Forces.5 for soft drinks and cola in 2018. But, The other is SodaStream. SodaStream at the end of 2019, Paris-based private shut its factory in an illegal Israeli equity firm, PAI Partners, took a 62% settlement in the occupied West Bank in stake and dropped their score from 12 2015. But it has since built a new factory to 9.5. PAI also owns half of Refresco which BDS says “is actively complicit in References: 1 https://news.sky.com/story/record- (Calypso, Ben Shaws, half of Del Monte) Israel’s policy of displacing the indigenous number-of-plastic-bottles-being-recycled-in- and a whole host of other companies it britain-11502351 2 www.sciencedirect.com/science/ Bedouin-Palestinian citizens of Israel in the article/pii/S0048969718307307 3 www.theguardian.com/ has investments in including Cotswold Naqab (Negev).” If you want to carbonate environment/2013/may/12/are-plastic-jars-better-than- glass 4 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ Outdoors and Nestlé ice cream. your own beverages without compromising uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/918270/ Wessanen itself is essentially a health Palestine rights, Drinkmate is one UK_Statistics_on_Waste_statistical_notice_March_2020_ accessible_FINAL_updated_size_12.pdf 5 How bad are food company mainly owning organic alternative. bananas? Mike Berners-Lee, 2020 6 www.tetrapak.com/ companies like Kallo, Clipper Tea and PepsiCo lost marks for several other sustainability/planet/recycling 7 http://us.wsp-pb.com/blogs/ green-scene/lca/life-cycle-assessment-and-materiality- Isola Bio plant milk. Over 95% of their issues too: cases of alleged sexual assessment-part-2-setting-up-the-study 8 https://link. products are vegetarian and over 77% harassment, slavery in its supply chain, springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-1899-9_37 9 www.ethicalconsumer.org/home-garden/plant-plastic- organic. and irresponsible marketing (remember fantastic-guide-bio-based-plastic-packaging 10 Where Del Monte juice is owned by US the 2017 advert in which Kendall Jenner does recycling and rubbish from the UK go?, BBC News website, 30 September 2019 - www.bbc.co.uk/news/ multinational Fresh Del Monte Produce diffused a police-demonstrator clash by science-environment-49827945 11 Haruna Gujba and Adisa which grows and sells fruit-based handing over a Pepsi can?). Azapagic, 2011, Carbon Footprint of Beverage Packaging in the United Kingdom products.

24 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 COCA-COLA PUSHES Spotlight on Coca-Cola FOR NEOLIBERAL REFORMS Coca-Cola owns 500 brands and is sold a resolution to TCCC AGM. We did not receive The 1994 North American Free Trade in over 200 countries and territories. This a satisfactory answer. Agreement (NAFTA) facilitated further is astonishing considering the UN only “Years of direct engagement with pillaging of Mexico’s resources by the recognises 195 states … you can buy Coca-Cola senior management did lead to US and Canada. Coca-Cola wants to Coca-Cola even in countries which scarcely the resolution of significant rights issues, expand this legacy. Its website features exist! The Coca-Cola Company has a higher for example in Guatemala and Pakistan. a May 2019 statement declaring income than two thirds of the world’s However, between 2016 and 2019 we support for the new trade agreement countries.6 could not resolve issues in Coca-Cola’s between the US, Mexico and Canada We heard from two trade union groups directly owned operations in Ireland and the that would eliminate aluminium tariffs. fighting against Coca-Cola – the IUF and Irish Philippines or bottlers in Haiti, Indonesia, Mexico’s border cities are filled trade union SIPTU. and USA. with US-owned factories making use “Most recently in the Philippines, the of cheaper labour. Coca-Cola workers International Union of Food (IUF) Company has capitalized on the coronavirus in these border towns went on strike abandons 15-year relationship emergency to attack union leaders of the for almost two months in 2019, citing with Coca-Cola IUF-affiliated FCCU-SENTRO and intimidate exploitative working hours and unfair The International Union of Food (IUF) is a members through dismissals and disciplinary pay. global federation of trade unions connected action. to food processing. Coca-Cola appears very “The IUF continues to demand Coca-Cola with our representatives. proud of its relationship with the IUF – its addresses these rights violations.” “We travelled to Coca-Cola’s global name is all over the company website and headquarters where senior executives policy documents. Yet the IUF is running Coca-Cola’s collective bargaining argued that local legislation in Ireland multiple campaigns against Coca-Cola. policy not worth the paper it is trumps its human rights policy. They said if We heard from Burcu Ayan, International written on local legislation does not match or exceed Officer Beverages and Breweries (IUF). Since 2018, workers at Coca Cola’s Ballina rights outlined in Coca-Cola’s human rights Beverages plant in Ireland have policy the lower threshold prevails. In Ireland fought for their right to unionise. there is no legal compulsion for an employer Services Industrial Professional to engage in collective bargaining. It is a Coca-Cola has a and Technical Union (SIPTU), voluntary system. Ireland’s largest trade union, “The Labour Court here in Ireland has higher annual income provided an update for Ethical made a recommendation Coca-Cola engage Consumer: with SIPTU as representatives of workers at than two thirds of the “Our members are shocked the Ballina facility. Coca-Cola has refused. at Coca-Cola’s equivocation “Our members remain determined to world’s countries on its own global human rights achieve what they believe to be their basic policy. This states that Coca-Cola human right to have their voice heard respects workers’ right to unionise through collective bargaining.” “We signed a Joint Statement between and commits The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and IUF on to establishing 15 March 2005. This established a platform constructive for the IUF and affiliates representing dialogue in good Coca-Cola workers to raise rights issues faith with union with senior management at Coca-Cola representatives. In headquarters in Atlanta. There were twice- reality these rights yearly meetings. are conditional, and “We cancelled the October 2019 meeting not as stated in the because of lack of progress in cases we had policy. Coca-Cola raised for at least three years. We submitted refuses to engage

CALL TO ACTION

References 1 www.theguardian.com/ world/2013/sep/25/revealed-qatars-world- Coca-Cola workers fighting for their rights in Haiti, Indonesia, Ireland, and USA need your cup-slaves 2 Front Line Defenders, Marvin help: www.iufcampaigns.org/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=1152 Wilcox detained and criminalised in Barú, 20 May 2019 - www.frontlinedefenders. org/en/case/marvin-wilcox-detained-and- Tell Coca-Cola that workers defending their right to a safe workplace is not 'economic criminalised-baru 2 www.iufcampaigns.org/ campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=1152 3 sabotage': www.iufcampaigns.org/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=1160 www.iufcampaigns.org/campaigns/show_ campaign.cgi?c=1160 4 www.forbes.com/ sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2019/07/13/ Coca-Cola brands include the soft drinks on page28, Glaceau smartwater and vitaminwater, pepsi-beats-coke-again/#1c716fbe2bad 5 Innocent juices & smoothies and Costa Coffee. https://bdsmovement.net/get-involved/what- to-boycott 6 www.cia.gov/library/publications/ the-world-factbook/fields/224.html

ethicalconsumer.org 25 SHOPPING GUIDE Soft drinks Ethical and vegan soft drinks JASMINE OWENS looks into the most ethical soft drinks available in the UK and highlights how switching drinks brand – or better yet, making soft drinks at home – can benefit the planet.

n this guide we review carbonated Some companies retailed both organic Gusto, Lemonaid Beverages, Karma soft drinks, cola and energy drinks. and non-organic products. These were Cola and Calypso Fairtrade (Refresco) also Carbonated beverages are by far SHS Group (Rocks organic), The Coca- sourced Fairtrade ingredients. the UK’s most popular type of soft Cola Company (Honest Tea), Belvoir, and Idrink, representing 37.8% of all soft Healthy Sales Group (Switchle). Fairtrade cola drink sales. Cola constitutes 55.8% of all soft drinks The soft drinks industry has shown consumed in Britain. From the cola nut consistent growth in the UK since 2013 itself to the sugar and sweeteners used, and, in the last three years, consumers many agricultural ingredients in cola have been drinking higher volumes per come with serious poverty and workers’ capita. It’s estimated that the average rights issues. Combined, the two biggest person drinks 79.9 litres of carbonated producers globally – The Coca-Cola soft drink each year. Company and PepsiCo – own so many This guide introduces our favourite brands we needed an overflow box (see organic and Fairtrade drinks companies, page 29). shares tips on finding vegan-friendly Our Best Buy cola alternatives are beverages, and discusses the issues Gusto and Karma. Both are Fairtrade and around sugar and alternatives. Making organic. your own drinks is by far our top Fairtrade certification is not that recommendation, but affordable, ethical strong on wages but does help to regulate alternatives to the multinational brand working conditions. And the major players are also increasingly available – advantage of Fairtrade is related to take a look at our price comparison on pricing, which helps small family farms p.29. Why wouldn’t you opt for a drink make a decent income (read more on p.31 that’s splitting at the seams with ethical about Fairtrade sugar). certifications? Vegan soft drinks Ethical soft drinks Marks: while several companies in this Organic and fairtrade soft drinks guide did not appear to use animal- Gusto, Karma Cola, Lemonaid Beverages, derived ingredients, we only awarded Scheckter’s (ORG Beverages SARL), marks to companies that explicitly Luscombe, Pip Organic (Booost Trading) stated that they were vegan. Many soft and Biona (Windmill Organics Ltd.) all drinks are naturally vegan, but when received positive Company Ethos marks a company states that it is vegan it for being organic companies in this enables consumers to hold the company guide. Calyx Drinks Ltd. stated that it to higher standards, including by used 60-80% organic highlighting other potential animal ingredients. rights issues in the company’s activities. A fully referenced version of 100% vegan companies this Product Calyx Drinks Ltd, Cawston Press, Guide is on our website Lemonaid Beverages, Fevertree and Despite the sugar tax, there are still 7 Gusto Organic explicitly state that all teaspoons of sugar in a can of Coca-Cola. company products are vegan. Lemonaid Mohamed Osama | Dreamstime Iamsumang | Dreamstime, © Boonchuay

26 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Beverages however retailed products Taking a stand against fatphobia funded research which downplayed containing organic honey, which some Sugar does have health impacts– it’s the link between diet and obesity and vegans might not consider acceptable. linked to tooth cavities, heart disease, promoted the idea that obesity was type 2 diabetes and, of course, obesity. instead caused by a lack of exercise. Products: what to look out for However, we think it’s important According to a 2020 article in the The Vegan Society website says “A small when talking about food and health to journal Public Health and Nutrition, Coca- number of orange-coloured drinks highlight another ethical issue – fatphobia Cola sought to obscure its relationship contain gelatine (derived from collagen and body shaming. Virgie Tovar is an with researchers, minimise the public obtained from various animal by- American author and activist on weight- perception of its role and use these products) and one or two red-coloured based discrimination and body image. researchers to promote industry-friendly ones contain cochineal (food colouring Tovar argues: “Any food justice messaging. derived from a species of insect). These conversation that demonizes food or will be stated on the packaging. perpetuates weight stigma has failed. Impact of the sugar tax “You won’t need to look too closely to Food justice conversations inadvertently Under the Soft Drinks Levy (aka Sugar tell if there’s milk, cream, or honey in a fall into the same trap again and again: Tax), drinks with more than 8 g per 100 drink; as this is usually easy to spot from stoking fear around foods that are a ml face a tax rate equivalent to 24p per the name (don’t panic – you don’t need regular part of many people’s diets and litre. For those containing 5-8 g it is 18p Baileys if you make your own vegan Irish using the presence of higher weight per litre. Cream). people as evidence that food systems Campaign group Action on Sugar “One thing to look out for is have failed. These tactics promote stated that by April 2018 more than concentrated juice. Juice missing its pulp food anxiety and fatphobia, both are half of manufacturers had reduced may been distilled through non-vegetarian connected to disordered eating. It’s the sugar content of their drinks since ingredients, so look for a vegetarian/vegan important to centralize human rights the introduction of the levy in order to label or, even better, the Vegan Trademark. in this conversation, rather than health avoid paying out. They did it largely by If none is available, it is advised that you outcomes.” reformulating with artificial sweeteners contact the manufacturer.” or Stevia. Coca-Cola downplayed link Between May 2015 and May 2019, Big brands that aren’t vegan between diet and obesity sugar intake from soft drinks in Britain Diet Pepsi and Diet Pepsi Caffeine Free At the same time, being able to access fell by a whopping 30.4%. aren’t suitable for vegans. The company research about foods’ effect on health However, Pepsi and Coca-Cola mysteriously refuses to say why these should be a consumer’s right. Research were two notable brands that have not products aren’t vegan. has emerged showing that Coca-Cola reformulated. The following Coca-Cola drinks contain animal derivatives: Lilt, Lilt Zero, Kia- Ora Orange Squash No Added Sugar, Schweppes Indian Tonic Water, Schweppes SUGAR CONTENT OF BEST BUYS VS MARKET Orange Squash and Honest (Lemon and LEADERS (RANKED BY SUGAR CONTENT) Honey). The company website states that Sugar g sugar % of sugar these contain fish gelatine, honey, vitamin Soft drink content (per 330ml GDA for adults D sourced from lanolin in sheep’s wool, or (per 100ml) can) (per 330ml can) milk. Energy drinks Vegan packaging Powerade Orange 4.1g 13.5g 15% Some retailers are turning away from Lucozade Energy Orange 4.5g 14.9g 17% petroleum-based plastics in favour of Gusto Energy drink 8.7g 28.7g 31% bioplastics (which are made at least Monster 11g 36.3g 40% partially from renewable alternatives). However, some bioplastics are made from Scheckter’s Organic Energy original 11g 36.3g 40% agricultural and industrial by-products Red Bull 11g 36.3g 40% such as feathers and fish scales. Colas Gusto original 8.5g 28g 31% Drink up for your Karma Cola Original 9.6g 31.7g 35% health? Coca-Cola 10.6g 35g 39% When we last reviewed soft drinks in Pepsi 11g 36.3g 40% 2017, the government was about to Other soft drinks implement the Soft Drinks Levy (known Calyx Strawberry & Lavender 2.6g 8.6g 10% as the Sugar Tax). Recent years have witnessed product innovation as drinks Pip Organic Sparkling Apple 5.9g 19.5 22% manufacturers seek to reduce costs, Lemonaid Lime 6g 19.8g 22% and some consumers seek healthier Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water 7.4g 24.2g 27% alternatives. Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade 9.5g 31.35g 35%

ethicalconsumer.org 27 USING THE TABLES Environment Animals People Politics +ve USING THE TABLES Ethiscore: the higher the score, the Positive ratings (+ve): better the company. Scored out of 14. Plus up to 1 extra point for Company Company Ethos: Ethos and up to 5 extra points for e = full mark Product Sustainability. = half mark Green (good) = 12+ E Product Sustainability: Amber (average) = 11.5–5 Red (poor) = 4.5–0 Various positive marks available depending on sector. H = worst rating h = middle rating = bes t rating/no criticisms found Best Buys are highlighted in blue

BRAND 14 + 6 extras) (out of Ethiscore Reporting Environmental Change Climate & Toxics Pollution Habitats & Resources Oil Palm Animal Testing Farming Factory Animal Rights Human Rights Rights Workers’ Chain Management Supply Marketing Irresponsible Arms & Military Supply Technologies Controversial Call Boycott Activity Political Finance Anti-Social Conduct Tax Ethos Company Sustainability Product COMPANY GROUP

ChariTea, LemonAid [O,F] 17 e 2 Lemonaid Beverages GmbH Gusto [O, F] 17 e 2 Gusto Organic Ltd Karma Cola, Gingerella [O, F] 17 e 2 Karma Cola UK Limited Luscombe [O] 15 h h e 1 Luscombe Drinks Ltd Pip Organic [O] 15 h h e 1 Booost Trading Ltd Scheckter's energy drink [O] 15 H e 1 Org Beverages SARL Calyx Drinks [O] 14.5 h e 1 Calyx Drinks Ltd Barr, Rubicon 12 h h H AG Barr plc Belvoir pressés & cordials [O] 12 HH h h 1 Belvoir Fruit Farms Limited

Cawston Press 12 HH H e Cawston Press Ltd Britvic, Purdey’s 11.5 h h h H Britvic Plc Firefly 11 HH H JB Drinks Holdings Ltd Great Uncle Cornelius 11 HH H James White Drinks

Fever-Tree 10.5 HH H h h h e Fevertree Drinks PLC Vita Coco 10 HH H H All Market Inc Whole Earth [O] 9.5 h H h h H h h h h 1 Charles Jobson/Wessanen/PAI

Ocean Spray 9 HH HH h h h E Refresco/Ocean Spray Switchle [O] 9 HH H H H h h 1 Healthy Sales Group Limited Ben Shaws 8.5 h H h H h H h h Refresco/PAI Partners/BCI Levi Roots 8.5 H H H h h H h Levi Roots/Nichols plc Lucozade, Orangina, Ribena 8 h h h H h h h h h h h Kotobuki Realty PLj cordials, Switchle 8 H H H H H h h Healthy Sales Group Limited Boost energy drink 7.5 H H H H H H h Boost Drinks Franklin and Sons 7.5 HHHH H H h Global Brands (GBL) Holdings Grace, Bigga 7.5 H H H H H h H GraceKennedy Limited Rocks [O] 7.5 H H H H H H h h 1 SHS Group Ltd Snapple 7.5 H H h h h h h h h H AG Barr plc/JAB Holding Vimto 7.5 H H H H H H h Nichols plc Bottle Green & Rocks cordials 7 H H H H H H h h SHS Group Ltd 7-UP 6 hhhhhhhhHhh HH PepsiCo Inc/JAB Holding/Britvic Del Monte 6 h H h H H h h H h h H Refresco/Fresh Del Monte M&S 6 h H h h H H H H h h h Marks & Spencer Group plc Rockstar energy drink 6 hhhhhHhhhhh h H h AG Barr plc, PepsiCo Inc Red Bull energy Drink 5.5 H H h H h H H h HH Red Bull GmbH Monster energy Drinks 5 H H h h h H H H H h H Coca-Cola/Monster Beverage Pepsi, Mountain Dew 5 hhhhhHhhhhh h HhH PepsiCo Inc, Britvic Plc

Waitrose 4.5 hHHH hHHHH H h h E John Lewis Partnership Aldi 3.5 hHHHhHHHhHh h hh Aldi South Lidl 3 hHHHH HHHHh h h H Schwarz Group Morrisons 2.5 hHHHhHHHhH H hh H Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc Schweppes 2.5 hhH H HHHHHh hhH H Coca-Cola/Kotobuki Jucee 1.5 HHhHh HHHhh HH HhH Mitsubishi Group Sainsbury's 1.5 hHHHhhHHHHhH H hH J Sainsbury plc Honest Tea [O] 1 hHHhH HHHHHH HHHhH 1 Coca-Cola Company Dr Pepper 0.5 hHHHH HHHHHh hhHhH Coca-Cola/JAB Holding Tesco 0.5 hHHHhHHHHH H h HHH Tesco plc Asda 0 hHHHHHHHHHHHHh HHH Walmart Inc. Coca-Cola 0 hHHhH HHHHHH HHHhH Coca-Cola Company San Pellegrino 0 hHhHHHHHHHhH HHHhH Nestlé SA 28 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 m nsu er o .o c r l g

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BEST t Price comparison e Y BUYS BE BU The Best Buys in this guide are more expensive, but not overwhelmingly so – if you S T usually buy Coca-Cola and switch to Karma Cola, it’ll only cost an extra 4p per 100ml. Our Recommended Buys are some of the cheapest drinks on the market. Barr Cola The best choice for the environment for example costs just 5p/100ml (though it is only available in 2 litre bottles) and your pocket is to make your own soft drinks at home – this is our top Best Buys Price per 100ml Source of pricing recommendation, see page 30. Karma Cola 38p (£1.15 300ml Waitrose) Our Best Buys are: Luscombe sparkling juice 41p (£3.00 740ml Sainsbury’s • Cola – Gusto and Karma, both of Lemonaid Lime drink 50p (£1.65 330ml Ocado) which are Fairtrade and organic. Pip Organic 66p (£1.65 250ml Abel & Cole) • Energy drinks – Gusto Energy, Scheckter’s and ChariTea Mate Gusto Cola 76p (£2.09 275ml Ocado) Drinks, all of which received a best Recommended Buys rating under Climate Change. Barr Cola 5p (£1 for 2 litres Iceland. Not sold individually) • Fizzy drinks – Gusto, Karma, Luscombe, Pip Organic and KA soft drinks 11p (37p 300ml Tesco) Lemonaid. Rubicon 18p (60p 330ml Tesco) • Mixers – Luscombe. Irn Bru 23p (£1.15 500ml Tesco) • Fruit drinks – Calyx. • Cordials – Belvoir organic. Brands to avoid ASDA cola 2p (41p 2 litres ASDA. Not sold individually) ChariTea, San Pellegrino 30p (£1 330ml Sainsbury’s) LemonAid Coca-Cola 34p (85p 250ml Sainsbury’s) Gusto 17 17 BRANDS NOT ON THE Score table TABLE highlights Ownership in this industry is messy. We didn’t have room on the table for One company often owns a brand, while the following brands: another produces and distributes it. l Karma Cola – Lemony Lemonade For example, in the UK, most PepsiCo Karma l Coca-Cola – 5-Alive, Appletiser, brands are licensed to, made and Fanta, Glaceau, Kia-Ora, Lilt, Minute distributed by Britvic PLC. Where this 17 Maid, Oasis, Powerade energy, Rose’s occurs, we combined the scores from cordial, Sprite, Juicy Water all companies involved. l Britvic – Drench, Fruit Shoot, J20, We do not award extra marks for London Essence, R Whites, Robinsons, companies that donate to charities Luscombe Tango or run charitable foundations. This l AG Barr – D’n’B, Funkin, Irn-Bru, is because the line between social 15 KA, OMJ!, Simply, Sun Exotic, Tizer responsibility and greenwashing and l Refresco – Calypso, Old Jamaica, whitewashing is often impossible to Sunny D draw. For example, Belvoir donated l Nichols – Panda, Sunkist amounts under £5,000 to several l SHS Group – Schloer environmental charities. Yet, it scored l James White – Thorncroft cordials a worst rating for Environmental l Belvoir – Belvoir non organic Reporting and Carbon Management and RECOMMENDED presses & cordials Reporting. Our recommended buys are the AG Barr brands, D’n’B Dandelion & All the research behind these ratings is Burdock, Irn-Bru, KA soft drinks, available for subscribers to see on the Rubicon, Simply juice drinks & squash, score tables on www.ethicalconsumer.org BRANDS TO AVOID Sun Exotic, and Tizer. Definitions of all the categories are at These are available on the high www.ethicalconsumer.org/our-ethical- The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé street and fare reasonably well on our ratings and Asda received 0 marks on the Ethiscore table. These are good choices Ethiscore table, receiving worst if you can’t pay the premium for organic [O] = organic [F] = Fairtrade ratings in the majority of categories. and Fairtrade ingredients.

ethicalconsumer.org 29 SHOPPING GUIDE Soft drinks

leaves have been used medicinally by Caffeine the Guarani people in Paraguay and Brazil for centuries. For some people, high intakes of caffeine A 2019 article on the Servindi website can cause insomnia, nervousness, stated that companies such as Pepsi headaches and heart palpitations. It can and Coca-Cola had used the ancestral also be addictive. knowledge of the Guaraní community However, there are a number of studies without payment or compensation. that suggest that moderate intake can It stated, "Many international promote a variety of health benefits, businesses are benefiting from the including a lower risk of certain cancers, sweetening properties of stevia without brain conditions, and liver problems. acknowledging that this knowledge All drinks in this guide contained less was produced by the Guarani people of synthetic caffeine than a cup of coffee (per Sugar alternatives Paraguay and Brazil." 100ml). That said, energy drinks are often Laurent Gaberell, head of biodiversity sold in greater volumes than coffee, such Low-sugar drinks often rely on artificial and intellectual property at Public as 330ml Red Bull bottles. sweeteners, such as aspartame, Eye, stated "The Guarani, who are the cyclamates, saccharin, sucralose, and ones who discovered the sweetening Drink Synthetic stevia. These can often be hundreds of characteristics of stevia, are not caffeine content (per times sweeter than cane sugar. receiving their share of the benefits 100ml) from the economic exploitation of their Coca-Cola 10mg Stevia knowledge, as required by the Convention A plant that is 300 times sweeter than on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Lucozade 12mg sugar, and virtually calorie-free, stevia Protocol". Red Bull 20mg Monster 32mg Cup of coffee 40mg

Traditional glucose-based energy drinks claim to provide a particular energy boost from caffeine, guarana, taurine and ginseng or other herbs. James White has advertised its Zingers as “a delicious caffeine-free alternative to an espresso to wake you up”. Gusto Organic uses cola nut as a natural stimulant in place of synthetic caffeine. The Coca-Cola Company’s acquisition of Costa Coffee in a USD$5 billion deal completed in 2019 is helping the Stevia leaves have been used medicinally by the company profit more from caffeine Guarani people in Paraguay and Brazil for centuries. cravings.

MAKE YOUR OWN SOFT DRINKS

Making your own soft drinks means you know with certainty what ingredients you’re consuming. It’s also the best option environmentally. If you’re feeling luxurious, buy and squeeze fresh fruit yourself, preferably sourced from local organic traders. You’ll appreciate it more after all the squeezing! You can also blend fruits and strain them through a muslin cloth. Get a mint plant. It can grow from spring to autumn, and while it’s best fresh, it can be frozen for winter months. For a cheap and easy option, add slices of fruit to water. Lemons, limes, cucumbers, and oranges cost less than £1 and can make litres of tasty, flavoured water. You can add drops of organic lemon and lime juice to water. These last around six months in the fridge. Feeling extra ambitious? Try homemade kefir or kombucha. © Ramilf | Dreamstime.com © Ramilf

30 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Soft drinks and the environment

From the field to the Home refrigerators, manufacturing Many companies operate as though and chilled transportation constitute water will continue to be a readily fridge just 8% of refrigeration emissions. accessible commodity. Yet in some 1 Sourcing raw materials 92% of refrigeration emissions come regions rivers are drying up, and water Brazil, India, China, Thailand & Pakistan from ‘retail and food service’ and of depletion is impacting populations that are the top five global sugar producers. this, 67% is food service – restaurants, already face resource scarcity. Sugarcane burning (used to remove pubs, hotels and so on. Bottle coolers – It can take 132 gallons of water to make the outer leaves before harvesting) can the large fridges you see, for example a two-litre bottle of soda. 95% of this is reduce local air quality, and pesticides in supermarket cafes, that contain used in the supply chain (mainly from can damage the local environment. beverages and sometimes don’t even ingredients). Sugar is often the biggest Around 80% of the world’s sugar is have doors – represent an overwhelming culprit. derived from sugar cane, grown by 70% of the total refrigeration carbon In Chiapas, Mexico, there is significant millions of small-scale farmers and footprint of the soft drinks supply chain. water scarcity, yet The Coca-Cola plantation workers in developing Company is said to have a permit to countries. The price that smallholder 5 Finally, the product is in the hands of extract 300,000 gallons of water per day. farmers receive for cane can fail to cover the consumer NGOs and academics protested against the costs they incur to produce it, leaving The next step depends on whether it gets the Chiapas bottling plant in 2017. them in a debt trap and with little capital recycled … (see p.23). More than a million traders have to reinvest into their farms and local participated in protests in the Indian communities. Fairtrade certification state Tamil Nadu, boycotting PepsiCo and enables farmers to get improved New carbon rating Coca-Cola products over the companies’ access to international markets. The use of scarce water sources. main economic provision of Fairtrade 10 companies received Ethical Standards in sugar is that farmers are Consumer’s best rating for carbon paid a premium of $60 per tonne of management, although they may have Dilutables sugar in addition to the negotiated price. had other criticisms in the Cimate There are more than 54,960 sugar cane Change column. This includes all of our Cordials, squashes, powders and other farmers in 19 countries participating in Best Buys (apart from Luscombe and concentrates can help us to reduce waste Fairtrade. Pip’s). It also includes some big brands, in terms of packaging. Concentrate such as Lucozade, Orangina, Ribena and drastically cuts down on packaging 2 Syrup production Lipton, which all received a best rating. because it can be made back into juice Flavourings, chemicals and sweeteners 26 companies received a worst carbon in a refillable container from the tap at are blended together. Acids sharpen rating, showing far more needs to be home. Buying concentrate also means background taste, additives enhance done in the industry to tackle carbon it can be shipped in a much smaller taste, smell and appearance, emulsions emissions. and lighter form to where it is bottled improve appearance, and preservatives or packaged, which saves fuel. It can and antioxidants maintain colour and also provide good value for money for flavour. Drying up resources consumers. Dilutables have a year on year growth 3 Bottling The drinks industry is reliant on of 6.4%, over twice the yearly growth of Syrup is mixed with water, then millions of small-scale farmers and carbonated beverage sales. packaged for distribution (see p.23). agricultural workers in regions most Carbonated soft drinks usually contain vulnerable to climate change. 94% water.

4 Sales and distribution The product is sent to merchants or to distributors. Total refrigeration emissions from the UK soft drink supply chain are 1.5 million tonnes

CO2 per year. That makes it about 0.2% of the UK’s total emissions (including imported goods) – so it’s not a huge element, but it still isn’t nothing.

ethicalconsumer.org 31 SHOPPING GUIDE Perfume & aftershave How much does your fragrance stink? FRANCESCA DE LA TORRE takes a sniff.

constant advertising, learning to love your the environment or are just at odds with own natural scent is a luxury in itself. your ethical values. In this guide we cover the secretive Watch out for the use of ‘fragrance’ world of fragrance ingredients and learn or ‘parfum’ on ingredients lists, while why choosing companies with clear these may be a small percentage of toxic policies and vegan certification is total ingredients, they can be made up important; look at why animal testing of hundreds of different chemicals. is still a key issue in the industry; Companies might appear to be explore how to ensure the plant-based transparent about their ingredients when ingredients are ethical as well; and look they are anything but! at the messaging created by big fragrance “No state, federal or global authority brands. is regulating the safety of fragrance chemicals” Janet Nudelman, policy

© Štěpán Kápl | Dreamstime.com Kápl © Štěpán director for Breast Cancer Prevention Parenting brands in Partners (BCPP) and co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, told the this guide Guardian: “no one even knows which Many perfumes are made ‘under fragrance chemicals appear in which licence’, which means that they are products.” ased on the adverts, a little spritz made by a cosmetics company, but sold There are some laws against the use of the right scent can make under the name of a celebrity or fashion of certain chemicals, for example some you richer, happier, classier, house. ‘David Beckham’ fragrance, for synthetic musks have been banned, infinitely more irresistible and, example, is made by Coty. but such regulation always lags behind Bpossibly, even magic. In reality, it will David Beckham will be receiving a fee the creation of new chemicals and their make you smell different and, in some for the use of his name, but we decided, inclusion in products. cases, cause an allergic reaction. as we did last time, that it would make Not knowing what might be lurking While perfume and aftershave are it impossibly complex to rate him and in your fragrance can be a real problem perhaps on the list of products we should all of the other similar celebrities and as you, or those around you, may be do without, we understand that it can be fashion houses who lend the use of their allergic to some of the ingredients. It can also be important to have some luxuries names. Therefore, we have just rated the be especially problematic for people with in life – this guide can help you choose the company which makes these perfumes, asthma. There have even been moves most ethical options. However, perhaps for example, Coty. in some workplaces to ban the use of in an age of unrealistic expectations and perfume and aftershave, although mainly in the United States. Even out of our best and recommended A fully Secret ingredients referenced buys only Flaya and Neal’s Yard published version of Fragrance companies are legally allowed a full and complete list of ingredients on this Product to keep some of their ingredients secret, each product. Dolma used ‘parfum’ in Guide is on our website and most of them do. This obviously their ingredients list but did also link to makes it a challenge to avoid ingredients page which contained a “comprehensive” that might be harmful to your health and ingredients list.

32 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Ethics of the plant- Neom Organics fragrances contained between 79%-85% certified organic based ingredients ingredients. Its website did state “We The ethical issues with toxic chemicals made the decision to use essential oils and animal ingredients are clear, but which do not have organic certification, just because an ingredient is natural and but which are still 100% natural due to plant-based does not necessarily mean it the cost of organic-certified essential is going to be ethical. oils. This would make our products Plant-based ingredients can be grown unaffordable”. While this is still far or harvested in a way that is damaging better than the many brands that contain to the eco-system or the plant itself. For no organic ingredients, the fact that example, Indian Sandalwood, a much it uses organic in its name without its Toxic chemicals and sought-after ingredient for perfume as products actually being certified could be well as other uses, was nearly harvested to misleading to some consumers. microplastics extinction and is still highly endangered. All the other products and companies Our toxic rating includes two common Boswellia trees, the resin of which is what in this guide are not prioritising the use of chemicals found in perfumes and is used to make frankincense are also now organic ingredients. aftershave – parabens and phthalates. under similar threat. Parabens are preservatives and Palm oil phthalates fixatives for fragrance. These Organic fragrances One of the most well-known problematic are chemicals of high concern because Organic certification is a good way to ingredients is palm oil, a crop which there is evidence that they are endocrine ensure that the most harmful agriculture has caused large scale deforestation, disruptors, which means they can methods have not been used. Organic contributed to the endangerment of interfere with your hormone system, certification is a bit more complicated many species and is associated with as well as posing risks for development in cosmetics because not all ingredients various workers’ rights abuses. Palm oil and cancer. We mark companies down can be certified organic as they may be and derivatives of palm oil are found in if they don’t have clear policies against synthetic or mineral-based. large range of cosmetics, so we rate all using these chemicals. This means many products may cosmetic companies for their policies. Many of the companies making use high quantities of certified organic Palm oil free: Dolma, King’s Vegan perfume are also involved in ingredients and still not be certified Grooming and Flaya were the only brands manufacturing other cosmetics. Our organic. The rules about marketing a that were palm oil free. toxics rating covers the activities of the non-food product as organic are also less Best rating: Neal’s Yard and Lush used whole company. Companies in this guide strict so you may also find that a product palm oil but had robust enough policies were rated as follows: that some don’t have as many organic to receive our best rating. Some of the ingredients as you might think! companies at the lower end of the table Neal’s Yard Eau de Parfum also received our best rating, including Best rating for toxic chemicals Frankincense is the only product in L’Oréal and Chanel because they were Flaya, Dolma, Neal’s Yard, King’s Vegan this guide made with 100% certified both using 100% certified palm, were Grooming, Neom Organics, L’Occitane. organic ingredients. It is certified by the in the process of mapping their supply Middle rating for toxic chemicals Soil Association. It received a Product chains back to the mill and were engaging Revlon, L’Oréal, Shiseido Group, Lush, Sustainability mark for this. Neal’s Yard’s in some positive initiatives to increase the Natura & Co. other fragrances also contain significant sustainability of the industry. amounts of certified organic ingredients. Worst rating for toxic chemicals The company stated: “We believe our Estée Lauder, Coty Inc., Chanel, LVMH Group, strong commitment to organic farming Pacifica, Inter Parfums, Puig. is an important factor in a sustainable future. Organic quality is a priority in Cosmetic companies also lost half a our supply chain, and we have been mark under Pollution and Toxics if they certified by the Soil Association since had inadequate policies on microbeads, 1991. Currently 92% of our natural raw microplastics and non-biodegradable materials by volume are certified organic.” liquid polymers. You are unlikely to Flaya states that “our entire range of find any microbeads in your perfume, fragrances contain between 80% and but polymers can be used as fragrance 92% certified organic ingredients”. They fixatives. also told us that all of their denatured Strong policy on microplastics and alcohol and essential oils are certified liquid polymers: Neal’s Yard, Flaya, by the Soil Association and that “Where Dolma, King’s Vegan Grooming. organic ingredients are unavailable, [we] Inadequate or no policies on only purchase ingredients which are microplastics and liquid polymers: permitted by the Non Food Certification Revlon, Estée Lauder, Coty Inc., L’Oréal, Company (a subsidiary of the Organic Chanel, LVMH Group, Shiseido Group, Food Federation)”. Their products also Pacifica, Inter Parfums, Puig, Lush, received a positive Product Sustainability L’Occitane, Natura &Co, Neom Organics. mark for this.

ethicalconsumer.org 33 SHOPPING GUIDE Perfume & aftershave

USING THE TABLES Environment Animals People Politics +ve USING THE TABLES Ethiscore: the higher the score, the Positive ratings (+ve): better the company. Scored out of 14. Plus up to 1 extra point for Company Company Ethos: Ethos and up to 5 extra points for e = full mark Product Sustainability. = half mark Green (good) = 12+ E Product Sustainability: Amber (average) = 11.5–5 Various positive marks available Red (poor) = 4.5–0 depending on sector. H = worst rating h = middle rating = bes t rating/no criticisms found Best Buys are highlighted in blue

BRAND 14 + 6 extras) (out of Ethiscore Reporting Environmental Change Climate & Toxics Pollution Habitats & Resources Oil Palm Animal Testing Farming Factory Animal Rights Human Rights Rights Workers’ Chain Management Supply Marketing Irresponsible Arms & Military Supply Technologies Controversial Call Boycott Activity Political Finance Anti-Social Conduct Tax Ethos Company Sustainability Product COMPANY GROUP

Flaya [V,O] 17 e 2 Flaya GB Neal's Yard Frankinsense [V,O] 16.5 h e 2 Neal's Yard (Natural Remedies) Dolma [V] 16 e 1 Trusted Nature Ltd Kings [V] 16 e 1 King's Vegan Grooming Ltd. Neal's Yard [V] 15.5 h e 1 Neal's Yard (Natural Remedies) Lush [V] 12 HH h h h E 1 Lush Cosmetics Ltd Neom Organics [V] 10 h H h H h H 0.5 Neom Limited Pacifica [V] 8.5 HHHH h H h 0.5 Pacifica Beauty LLC L'Occitane 7.5 h H h h H h H h H CIME S.C.A. Dolce & Gabbana 7 h H h h H h H h h H Shiseido Company Limited Issey Miyake, Elie Sahb 7 h H h h H h H h h H Shiseido Company Limited Montblanc 6.5 HHHHH H h H Inter Parfums Inc

Aesop [V] 6 h H H h h h h h H h H h H E 0.5 Natura Cosmeticos S/A Body Shop [V] 6 h H H h h h h h H h H h H E 0.5 Body Shop/Natura Cosmeticos Caroline Herrera 6 HHHHH h h H h h Puig SL Paco Rabanne 6 HHHHH h h H h h Puig SL

Avon 5.5 h H H h h h h h H h H h H E Natura Cosmeticos S/A Body Shop 5.5 h H H h h h h h H h H h H E Body Shop/Natura Cosmeticos Estee Lauder 5.5 h H h h H h H H H h H Estée Lauder Companies Inc Jo Malone 5.5 h H h h H h H H H h H Estée Lauder Companies Inc Tom Ford 5.5 h H h h H h H H H h H Estée Lauder Companies Inc All Saints, Britney Spears 5 H H H H H h H H h H MacAndrews & Forbes Elizabeth Arden, Juicy Couture 5 H H H H H h H H h H MacAndrews & Forbes Chanel 4 h H H H H H h H h H h H Litor Limited KVD Vegan Beauty [V] 3 h h H h h HHHH h h h H h H 0.5 LVMH Dior 2.5 h h H h h HHHH h h h H h H LVMH Diesel 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Armani 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Guerlain 2.5 h h H h h HHHH h h h H h H LVMH Lancôme 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Ralph Lauren 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Viktor & Rolf 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Yves St Laurent 2.5 h H h H h h H H H h h H H h H L’Oreal/Nestlé SA Chloé, David Beckham 2 h H H H H H h H H h H H h H JAB Holding Company S.A.R.L Gucci, Hugo Boss, Philosophy 2 h H H H H H h H H h H H h H JAB Holding Company S.A.R.L Lacoste, Marc Jacobs 2 h H H H H H h H H h H H h H JAB Holding Company S.A.R.L

All the research behind these ratings is available for subscribers to see on the score tables on www.ethicalconsumer.org Definitions of all the categories are at www.ethicalconsumer.org/our-ethical-ratings [V] = vegan [O] = organic m nsu er o .o c r l g

a Best Buys are decided by the editorial team based on the research we have undertaken, the scoring system and the unique insight into the issues

c

i that our editorial team has. 9 times out of 10 this will be the brand (or brands) that are top of the table but sometimes an ethical company which is

h

t e Y truly innovative scores less well on our rigid scoring system and we use the Best Buy and Recommended section to acknowledge this. A company BES T BU cannot be a Best Buy if it scores worst for Supply Chain Management.

34 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 m nsu er o .o c r l g

a

c

Why might perfume Castoreum is produced by beavers i

h which have to be killed in order to harvest BEST t and aftershave not be the substance. It is an anal secretion but e Y BUYS BE BU vegan? apparently it smells like vanilla. They S T may also contain more commonly known Musk deer (imagine a deer but with animal ingredients such as honey or milk. Our best buys are Flaya (perfume), fangs) were killed for their scent glands Ambergris is a substance produced Neal’s Yard (perfume & aftershave), which were used by perfumeries to exclusively in the digestive system of Dolma (perfume) and King’s Vegan create warm, earthy fragrances. As the sperm whales. It can be harvested from Grooming (aftershave) as they are all deer were hunted to near extinction, the the ocean or beaches. It is often referred certified cruelty-free, vegan, and palm use of real deer musk is now banned in to as ‘whale vomit’ but is now thought oil free. the EU. to be more likely excreted through the Flaya and Neal’s Yard additionally Other animals may still be being whale’s rectum. Apparently it initially show a commitment to certified organic exploited in order to create this musky smells exactly how you might expect that ingredients. aroma, other scents or to use as fixatives to smell but after floating around the Flaya to make fragrances last longer. ocean for a while it turns hard and takes Civet musk or civet oil is produced by on a sweet scent. Neal’s 17 civets, a cat-like creature found in Africa Its very rare and therefore only Yard and Asia. The civet does not need to be likely to be found in the most expensive killed to collect the musk, but the animals fragrances. While ambergris can be 16.5 are farmed, generally in poor conditions. harvested without harming the whales It can take up to four years to collect just there is some concern that people might 500 grams of the substance from one attempt to harvest raw ambergris from civet. whales that have been beached as this can be sold on the black market (despite not having the same properties that make it usable in perfume). VEGAN FRAGRANCES Many of the animal ingredients that were traditionally used in perfume are Dolma now recreated synthetically, but, due to Here are the vegan options from this the fact that fragrance companies can 16 guide, those marked with (VS) have keep their ingredients secret, it is difficult their vegan claims approved by the to know what is being used. Vegan Society or Vegetarian Society, so you know for sure no animal products have been used. VEGAN AFTERSHAVE Obviously, anyone can choose to Entire company is vegan smell whichever way they want l Flaya (VS) regardless of your gender, and many Kings l Dolma (VS) of the brands on the score table are not specifically marketing products to 16 All fragrances are vegan men or women, but if you are looking l Lush (VS) specifically for aftershave/men’s l Neal’s Yard (VS) cologne these are the vegan options: l Neom Organics l Aesop Entire company is vegan l KVD Vegan Beauty l Kings Vegan Grooming (VS) l Pacifica l Dolma (VS) RECOMMENDED Some vegan fragrances All fragrances are vegan l Body Shop l Neal’s Yard (VS) We would also recommend Lush and Neom Organics perfumes as both scored reasonably highly and also show BRANDS NOT ON THE TABLE commitment to ethical sourcing.

We didn’t have room on the table for the following brands: l Estee Lauder – Aramis, Clinique, DKNY, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger l Puig – Comme Des Garcons, Jean Paul Gaultier, Nina Ricci, Prada l Nestlé/L’Oreal – Cacherel, Valentino BRANDS TO AVOID lB JA – Burberry, Calvin Klein, Davidoff, Joop!, Tiffany l LVMH – Givenchy, Kenzo, Loewe Estee Lauder, LVMH and L’Oreal l Inter Parfums – Dunhill, Oscar de la Renta, Jimmy Choo, Karl Lagerfeld, Paul because they all have boycott calls Smith, Hollister, Guess, Abercrombie & Fitch against them.

ethicalconsumer.org 35 SHOPPING GUIDE Perfume & aftershave

Animal testing Interestingly, Neal’s Yard, a Leaping Cruelty-Free Aftershave Bunny-certified company are now l Dolma (LB) The use of animal ingredients isn’t the selling into China through Cruelty-Free l King’s Vegan Grooming (LB) only way that the perfume industry International’s China pilot programme. l Neal’s Yard (LB) is exploiting and harming animals. Under very specific conditions, China is l Body Shop* (LB) Unfortunately, animal testing is still a allowing some cosmetics to be sold into key issue. China without being tested on animals. *The Body Shop and Aesop are also both certified to Leaping Bunny standards by Cruelty-Free While animal testing for cosmetics is It is a complicated issue as on the one International but are losing marks under Animal banned in the European Union, many hand it can be seen to pave the way for Testing on our table because they are owned by companies may still be using animal a change in animal testing legislation Natura which bought Avon in January 2020. Avon is testing as part of their global business. in China and demonstrate that there is yet to meet these same standards and so marks are lost across the whole company group. Recent studies have shown that a market for Cruelty-Free cosmetics in animal tests predict human reactions to the country. On the other hand, it could cosmetics only 40-60% of the time, while be challenging to maintain control over The following companies had a policy alternatives can be 80% accurate. And yet, what happens to products once they enter against testing on animals but without the Humane Society International (HSI), China. a ‘fixed cut-off date’ (a date after which which campaigns to end animal testing, For the moment we are still giving our no new ingredients the company uses believes that half a million animals are best rating for animal testing to Cruelty- would have been tested on animals). They used for testing in the cosmetics industry Free International companies selling into received our middle rating for animal every year. China through this route but we will be testing: Neom Organics, Pacifica, Avon. The vast majority of these animals keeping a close eye on the issue. The rest of the companies in this guide are likely to be tested on in China, the either had no information on animal only country in the world that has legal Cruelty-free perfume and testing or were found to be testing on requirements for animal tests to be aftershave animals and received our worst rating. conducted on finished cosmetic products The following brands all received our that are entering the market. best rating for animal testing meaning In the EU on the other hand, the they have a policy that meets or exceeds Advertising import and sale of any cosmetics that had Leaping Bunny certification standards. been tested on animals abroad has been Those marked below with (LB) carry The way fragrances are marketed can also banned since 2013. Unfortunately, these the Leaping Bunny label and received a be seen to compound harmful stereotypes steps forward have been undermined positive mark under Company Ethos for with highly sexualised advertising and by the EU’s chemical safety regulations, this: very different products and marketing known as REACH, which requires all being aimed at men and women. chemicals used in the EU to be tested Cruelty-Free Perfume Perfume adverts have almost become for safety. Although the guidelines for l Flaya (LB) a film industry in their own right with these tests state that companies should l Dolma (LB) millions of pounds being spent on adverts avoid animal testing where possible, a l Neal’s Yard (LB) that are just a few minutes long. The most significant amount of extra animal testing l Lush famous example of this is the 2004 Chanel has been commissioned because of l Body Shop* (LB) advert known as “The film”. It starred REACH. l Aesop* (LB) Nicole Kidman, was directed by Baz Luhrmann and cost $33 million. The best and recommended buys in this guide did steer away from the type of over- the-top marketing favoured by the larger fragrance brands. One of our favourite examples of which was found on the Paco Rabanne website and used to describe its Lady Million and 1 Million brands: "Vertigo from a disarming wake. There is never too much gold for Lady Million. A cheeky beauty who sees life in a big way. Golden girl. Obey no-one except your dreams. Million girl. And she gets what she wants. With a snap of her fingers." “1Million. A bad boy who views life as BIG. Otherwise, what's the point? [...] His mascot: an ingot. His fragrance: a blazing wake. A scent that jostles. And literally captivates." The sentiment behind this is probably not that appealing to you as readers of Ethical Consumer, but you can find some Two spoof perfume ads, ‘Victime’ and ‘Torture’, more ethically conscious poetry on made for Noah, a German anti-animal testing group. page 38.

36 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 Score table highlights MAKE Anti-social finance The companies being marked down under Anti-Social Finance have all YOUR paid directors an annual salary of over £1,000,000. Out of the big perfume companies, OWN the highest annual salaries we found were paid to directors of Coty Inc., some

of whom received over $40 million in | Dreamstime.com © Tabo80 a single year. This is roughly the same as the combined turnovers of all this You should be able to make your own perfume from essential oils and extracts, guide’s Best Buy companies. diluted with alcohol or oil. Guides can be found online. Essential oils are also much cheaper than buying ready-made perfume and it doesn’t cost loads extra to choose Tax avoidance certified organic versions. The same companies paying out huge You may have to apply home-made perfume more frequently than shop-bought salaries to those at the top are also perfume. This is because many of the traditional animal ingredients like civet and the ones with concerning company ambergris, and their synthetic equivalents, are fixatives – they make the perfume structures in relation to tax havens. last. Plant-based fixatives do exist, but they generally don’t work quite so well. Chanel, Inter Parfums, L’Occitane, However, it is worth noting that there is no guarantee that, just because Shiseido, Natura, Estée Lauder, Revlon, something comes from a plant, it is safe. Essential oils are very concentrated, and LVMH, L’Oréal and Coty all received there is some evidence that some can interact with medicines, be allergens, or be our worst rating for likely use of tax damaging to the skin or other organs. Essential oils are not designed to be used avoidance strategies. directly onto the skin undiluted – but you could always use them on your clothes.

Companies behind the brands

Pacifica Beauty is one of the few vegan the planet”. They also “categorically” Animal Testing, Toxics, and Supply Chain brands on our score table. However refuse to purchase from or sell through Management. in 2016 it accepted investment from Amazon. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is the private equity firm ACG, which Trusted Nature is a family-owned the parent company of a number of high amongst other partners also invests in business based in Lancashire. They end fragrance brands including Christian PDQ, “a fast casual restaurant company own Dolma Vegan Perfumes and also Dior, Givenchy and Loewe. The company specializing in fresh, hand-battered supply King’s Vegan Grooming. All of also owns a number of fashion houses, chicken tenders, made-to-order chicken the company’s products are certified by including Louis Vuitton. The company and turkey sandwiches” etc. ACG lists the Vegan Society and carry the Leaping still uses real fur in its products as well as Pacifica as a partner brand on its Bunny logo to show they are cruelty-free. crocodile and snake skin. It has also been website, and holds a minority stake in The company is also working towards criticised numerous times for failing to the company. In October 2019 Pacifica being completely plastic-free. The protect workers rights, including the use of announced it was closing its factory in company is certified under the Made in sweatshop labour to make products its sells Portland, Oregon, and outsourcing work Britain mark as all of its products are for thousands of pounds. to contractors. Its original notice of this manufactured here in the UK (although it L’Oréal are a major global cosmetic change stated that some work was being does still source some essential oils from company and make a number of the brands outsourced to China, where animal overseas). in this guide, namely Cacherel, Diesel, testing is required. The company has Puig is the Spanish corporation behind Georgio Armani, Lancome, Ralph Lauren, since retracted that statement. some of the most well-known fragrance Valentino, Viktor & Rolf and YSL. The Flaya is a very small independent brands including Paco Rabanne, Nina company has been subject to a boycott by family-run company based in Scotland. Ricci, Jean Paul Gaultier and Prada. Naturewatch Foundation since 2000 due to They told us: “Our ethos is to support However, it does seem to be losing its its continued poor stance on animal testing. local independent businesses who touch. Since our last fragrance guide L’Oréal still receives Ethical Consumer’s share our ethics. This applies to both in it lost the Valentino brand to L’Oréal worst rating for animal testing. L’Oréal is business with our stockists to personal and it seems set to lose Prada in the also part owned by Nestlé, subject to its shopping habits. Our strategy is not to near future. The company received own boycott over its infamous aggressive be simply a faceless on-line retailer. Ethical Consumer’s worst in almost marketing of baby milk products – see page Local shops are a key social hub in a every category it was rated under 17 for more on Nestlé. community and we want to support including Environmental Reporting, other business or co-ops who care for Carbon Management and Reporting,

ethicalconsumer.org 37 COLUMNIST Ethical novice

COLIN BIRCH with a light-hearted guide to trying, and sometimes failing, to be ethical.

socially irresponsible way by replacement for sex. Or is that because not sharing it. So, where it’s messy, involves a lot of pleasurable do I start? Well, not with moaning, and is much less fun if things the big guns – they don’t have gone soft? even produce free-range Looks like I’ll have to research further... Creme Eggs. Thankfully, there are options for chocoholics who don’t want to be choc-full of guilt. Many small-scale chocolatiers try to ensure their products are ethically sound through certified Fairtrade schemes – plus, they studiously avoid using the dreaded palm oil that the corporate firms keep palming off on us. Most importantly, they trade directly with the cocoa farmers, which cuts out the Justice CHOCOLATE middleman. This is good for financial reasons because the farmer will get The first in a series of regular As someone who’s struggled to fully more money, and also for health reasons, poems by ALEX CRUMBIE, embrace the ethical lifestyle, my because I won’t end up damaging my reflecting on the current occasional failures often lead me to my fists on the heads of any middlemen who themes and issues explored by favourite comfort food: chocolate! I love end up delaying my access to a regular Ethical Consumer. it so much that I refuse to buy Flakes, chocolate fix. because the flakiness introduces the And, although some of this socially danger of a few crumbs of chocolate not conscious chocolate may be more Christmas Vexation entering my mouth, which is too awful expensive, it’s important to realise how to contemplate. I was always confused much better it is. For starters, some of it It's known by all that Christmas time by those so-called ‘Fun-Sized’ bars from contains a whole lot more cocoa so, by Comes earlier each year, the past, as there’s nothing fun about a definition, there’s more chocolate in it, The multinationals fight it out chocolate bar being way smaller than it and that’s great for our bodies as proper To bring us all good cheer. should be. I’ve never wanted to get my choc is good for the heart and reduces head around the environmental impact stress. Quite ironic, if, like me, the main The shops are filled with Santa and snow of the bars because I’ve been too busy thing that stresses you out is not having it. And lit with twinkling light, getting my mouth around them. And what’s wrong with chocolate being But when it's not December yet However, a bit of research on the more expensive anyway? It’s supposed It really don't seem right. chocolate industry has left me shocked. to be decadent. You don’t get celebratory Children are involved in a major way, fountains of melted lard at wedding This early-onset Christmas fun and, let’s be honest, none of them own the receptions, do you? OK, I have an issue Causes great vexation, means of production, assuming you don’t with some of the newer flavours: Andean But this year needs some premature count Charlie being gifted a factory by Rose, Sourdough & Sea Salt, and Almond Festive celebration. Willy Wonka in the Roald Dahl book. And Butter Puffed Quinoa all sound a little bit even Wonka might have been dodgy, as no ‘Waitrose’ – and, frankly, I’m not likely to So why not buy some nice mince pies? one’s sure if he paid his Oompa Loompas buy avocado flavoured chocolate when But go for palm oil free, the minimum wage for all the work they I’m still struggling with the concept of The hint of deforestation did. avocado flavoured avocados. It’s also Does not taste good to me. Not only are many children treated disappointing that some of these worthy as virtual slave labour, their work firms describe their produce as ‘artisan’ And get a drink to wash 'em down involves machetes and exposure to toxic because that just gives the impression But not in plastic, please, chemicals – OK, I suppose if you live in that it shouldn’t be wolfed down and, It finds its way to mountain tops, a rough area, teenagers using machetes with chocolate, that’s my main method of To riverbeds and seas. and toxic chemicals might be nothing consumption. new, but really the only kids I want to see Perhaps the most important thing to And maybe a bar of chocolate too involved in the chocolate supply chain remember about high-cocoa chocolate is But one that's fairly made, should be taste-testing new bars. that it contains more of the chemical we How sweet can something really be I need to be eating socially responsible release when we’re in love. I think this is If workers aren't well-paid? chocolate … as long as I can eat it in a why so many people see chocolate as a

38 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS Clothes

FASHION BRANDS STILL NOT PAYING SUPPLIERS

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has surveyed Garment workers lost US$5.8 billion in wages from March to 50 fashion brands on whether they have taken action to protect May, the Clean Clothes Campaign said. workers in their supply chains during the pandemic. Many clothing brands have responded to the pandemic by What the tracker shows refusing or delaying payments to suppliers, putting garment The tracker shows that nine out of twenty-nine companies that workers across the world at serious risk. There have been recorded a profit have yet to commit to paying for their orders. ongoing campaigns calling on them to ‘pay-up’. British brands Topshop, Boohoo and Debenhams failed to Thulsi Narayanasamy, Senior Labour Rights Lead, Business respond. & Human Rights Resource Centre, said: “We are long past the Supermarkets Aldi and Lidl have both implemented new time when a ‘we’ve-not-had-time-to-prepare’ defence will policies to not ask factories for price reductions/discounts on wash […] Our findings show the fashion industry thinks it can comparable items from last season. This shows that it is possible continue with a ‘business-as-usual' approach, sticking to the for large brands to instigate such policies. And yet Business same policies and practices they used before the pandemic. But and Human Rights Resource Centre reports that 65% of factory what garment workers are facing is nothing short of complete suppliers have reported receiving demands for price cuts from upheaval and crisis. For workers, already paid so little, to lose brands. their jobs or not receive a full wage is the difference between For more information see: www.business-humanrights.org/ feeding your family or not.” en/from-us/covid-19-action-tracker.

Auditing firms need to drills to help them face emergencies. Guardian. The pressures of the global Even the factory was working illegally. Its pandemic, it argues, combined with the be held accountable construction design was not approved impending increase in tariffs caused by The campaigning organisation Clean from the departments concerned, Brexit, are likely to result in more clothing Clothes Campaign (CCC) has criticised and these were the main reasons that and other products being made in the UK. a court verdict on the Ali Enterprise resulted in the death of over 260 innocent It further highlights how this trend has garment factory fire in Pakistan that workers." already started, with major brands, such happened in 2012. Clean Clothes Campaign argue that as ASOS and Ted Baker, already having The cause of the fire was an arson more needs to be done to hold audit firms moved some manufacturing back to attack, but it was the lack of proper safety accountable as, shockingly, the factory Britain. measures that led to the high death toll – was certified as safe just weeks before the On the one hand, this could mean 289 people died. The factory owners did fire. greater traceability and accountability for not receive sentences. For more information see: fashion supply chains, as well as fewer Nasir Mansoor, general secretary, cleanclothes.org/news/2020/verdict-ali- air-miles. However, as the Boohoo scandal National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) enterprise-factory-fire-ignores-systemic- in Leicester shows, serious workers’ was reported to have stated: safety-failures rights abuses can still take place here "The main issue here was not whether despite our stronger legislation. it was an arson or accidental fire, but that The loss of business could also spell the factory was not fitted with a proper Made in Britain may disaster for many Asian garment workers firefighting system. All exits of the factory already hit hard by the pandemic. including its windows had iron bars. The become new normal For more information see: www. firefighting equipment present there was “UK factories could be making up to £4.8 theguardian.com/business/2020/ not in working condition. The workers billion more goods for British retailers nov/23/covid-and-brexit-could-see-uk- were not provided with any training or in the next 12 months” reports the manufacturers-bringing-it-all-back-home

ethicalconsumer.org 39 NEWS EC Week Ethical Consumer Week 2020 Building more resilient communities

In October, our first online Ethical Consumer Week brought together individuals, businesses and organisations to explore not only the challenges we currently face, but what a radically reimagined future might look like and the actions we can all take to get there. Here, we’ve pulled together some key learnings and reflections from the week.

Complexity offers choosing to borrow items rather than own For example, councils may make them, to moving to a bank that doesn’t fund money on high rental income from opportunity fossil fuels, to buying locally grown. But we properties they own, but this remains a We looked at some of the biggest crises heard time and again that consumer action barrier to small, community-led or more in decades: from COVID-19 and climate isn’t enough. We are citizens and producers ethical enterprises. What if they also took breakdown to the crisis of social injustice too. into account social and ecological value both in the UK and around the world. If there is an issue like tax that first and offered too? How would their priorities The complexity of these issues is often foremost needs regulatory change, you can change? overwhelming. Yet, there are also many write to your MP demanding action. If you Or how would our actions change acupuncture points we can use to tackle can’t find a local food source that you can if we moved beyond ‘sustainability’ – them. afford, you could tweet your supermarket sustaining where we are now – towards We heard from over 60 speakers urging them to stock more organic, or ‘regeneration’ as our principal value, representing different organisations, address labour rights issues in their supply creating systems that continually restore movements and businesses. All offered chain. health, resilience and wholeness? different perspectives on how to create change, from social enterprise to fair tax certifications, to using pantomime cows Building connection is It matters what as a way to campaign. When Guy Taylor (Global Justice key stories we tell Now) was asked, “where should I put my Building connections has clear practical Visibility can be incredibly powerful, energy? Law, journalism, campaigning?”, benefits, for example, allowing innovations particularly for those stories that are not his reply was: "The people who are and collaborations between social often told. effective in creating change are the people entrepreneurs for new projects, or enabling The first step is often just making sure who are driven, and you can do that as a growers to share cuttings and seeds. that a problem is recognised and known. lorry driver or a barrister." We can create But the emotional importance of Delia McGrath spoke about the impact change from wherever we are. creating connection is also key. We heard of SOC-SAT Union’s campaign with from Khader, an olive farmer in Palestine: Ethical Consumer, covering the stories of “As long as we are working together in migrant workers exploited by agricultural Diversity is key to groups, this will reduce the effect [of the companies in southern Spain. Just challenges we face]. The hope will continue ensuring that those working in the region resilience for the future.” are ‘out of the shadows’ has been a partial In discussing 'Creating a community victory. high street’, it was suggested that the UK How we choose to tell stories matters economy was hit hard by coronavirus We need to redefine too, as we heard from Dan Kidby (Animal because it relies so much on consumer Think Tank and Animal Rebellion). spending. Vidhya Alekson (Power to value We talk about non-human animals Change) responded: “Resilience through Many of the talks emphasised the power in vulnerable positions and forget to diversity is going to be key going that redefining value could have. acknowledge their agency to create forwards”. This reflection was echoed across discussions on our community projects, The people who are effective and our gardens, farms and allotments. in creating change are the It won’t be consumer people who are driven, and you action alone can do that as a lorry driver or a The week highlighted numerous consumer actions we can take: from barrister. GUY TAYLOR

40 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS EC Week AdFree Cities Ava Osbiston Cities Ava AdFree AdFree Bristol, part of the AdFree Cities movement, has turned this billboard from a corporate advertising to a community arts space. Bristol artist Ava Osbiston worked with a children’s group at St Werburghs City Farm to create this collage, asking, “What do you like about nature?”

change. Yet, orangutans have repeatedly From our trade relations, to the We should be expecting attacked equipment used in deforestation. foods we import, to our attitudes Far from passive, they seek to protect and understanding of them, Mama fundamental change their homes. Stories like this can shift our D (Community Centred Knowledge) “One of the things that COVID has done relationship with non-human animals to highlighted the importance of is introduce us as a society to the idea one of respect and mutuality. understanding our past in order to that change will come fast, and it will be Finally, it matters who is telling the address colonial legacies now and in the fundamental,” Andrew Shadrake (Green stories – and with this, who is defining future. Enterprise) reflected, “It’s possible to take our approach. Mona Bani (May Project that idea ... and apply it to, say, climate Gardens) and Fisayo Fadahunsi change.” (Untelevised) work with teenagers, who We need to think in Throughout the week, we heard are unaccompanied asylum seekers and small steps that could fundamentally refugees, to tell their own stories through terms of the future transform our communities: from ending hip-hop and film. This approach has Climate breakdown shows that decisions corporate advertising in public spaces, allowed their grassroots projects to be led based on immediate value leave future to putting growing and food production by the community, for the community, generations in crisis. While many in communities’ hands, to ensuring fair developing ‘experience-led solutions’. fossil fuel projects have a 20-40-year payment of tax for rebuilding our local public lifespan, “What matters isn’t just what services. something’s carbon emissions are right Neil McInroy (CLES) said, it’s not about We need an now, it’s whether they’re taking us in the “fitting around the edge of the extractive right direction,” Josie Wexler (Ethical economy [and] shareholder interest”. Each awareness of legacy Consumer) told us. small step should lead towards fundamental “To look to the future without an The need to think in terms of the change. awareness of 'legacy', of why and how future arose time and again – whether things are as they are now, we are wearing empowering the next generation to lead Thank you to Coop Bank for your support. blinkers … If we dare not question change or saving seed for next year’s See our longer article online: Watch 20+ the legacies of past decisions, we are planting. videos on the conference website perpetuating them.” www.ethicalconsumerweek.com

ethicalconsumer.org 41 NEWS Boycotts Facebook still not addressing hate Avoid Amazon this Christmas speech Amazon has launched a new eco badge Ethical Consumer found that items on its website, which it claims will help certified under the scheme contained Color of Change says Facebook has people to “shop for more sustainable environmentally damaging ingredients failed to address the majority of the products.” Yet, the ‘Climate Pledge such as unsustainably sourced palm oil demands made by the #StopHateforProfit Friendly’ badge appears to be another and factory-farmed meat. campaign, which saw over 1,200 greenwashing attempt from the online businesses and not-for-profits pause giant, awarded to everything from single- advertising on the platform during July. use batteries to disposable wipes. The campaign, which was co-founded The Climate Pledge Friendly label by Color of Change and others, called on identifies products sold through the site Facebook to address hate speech and that hold third-party certifications, such harassment on its site. as Fairtrade and GOTS. According to a Color of Change report, However, alongside some more ethical Facebook has failed to address six of the brands, a wide range of environmentally Check out our Alternatives to ten demands made by the month-long unsound products have received the Amazon guides online to help boycott, and has only partially addressed Climate Pledge Friendly badge, most you avoid Amazon this Christmas. four. The report was sent to advertisers of which have only been certified by https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ after Facebook contacted companies Amazon’s own ‘Compact by Design’ ethical-campaigns/boycott-amazon/ favourably comparing its actions to the accreditation, which looks for ‘efficient’ shopping-without-amazon demands from boycott campaign. use of packaging. Color of Change says that Facebook has not followed its recommendations to shut down hate speech on its platform, despite Boycott calls against AXA over links to telling advertisers that it was leading the industry in removing hate speech. They financing of Israeli settlements also say that while Facebook has hired a The ‘Stop AXA Assistance to Israeli Apartheid’ coalition has called for a boycott of the civil rights executive, demanded by the insurance company over its links to Israeli banks involved in illegal settlements on campaign, it does not plan to do so at a Palestinian territories. AXA holds investments worth $7 million in three Israeli banks, leadership level, as recommended. which provide mortgage loans for settlers and financial services to settlements’ local "Despite authorities for building projects. a sweeping AXA, which is the second biggest insurance company worldwide, was found to statement from have tripled total investments in the banks since 2019. All three banks are listed in corporate leaders the UN’s recently published database of companies that are complicit in Israel’s illegal that Facebook must settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.1 do better to protect According to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, which backs the its Black users, call, “Without these banks many of the illegal Israeli settlement projects would have the company has difficulty being implemented.” Rashad Robinson failed to address The boycott call, which was launched in September, gathered over 6,400 signatures our core demands from individuals and 300+ from organisations in under a month. meaningfully,” Rashad Robinson, Take Action: Sign the pledge to boycott AXA here: https://bdsmovement.net/news/ president of Color of Change, stated. axa-triples-investment-israeli-banks-financing-illegal-settlements-eve-annexation Colour of Change and others launched the #StopHateforProfit campaign after the murder of George Floyd in May, in response to accusations that Facebook was disproportionately silencing black users while failing to address hate speech. Recent months have seen growing scrutiny of Facebook’s practices. In November, 20 state attorneys in the US published an open letter to Facebook demanding that it improve its enforcement of hate speech policies. The same week, over 30 Democrats wrote to the company asking them to address hate speech targeting women, particularly female candidates and political leaders. Several key advertisers, such as Ben & Jerry’s, have continued to withhold advertising from the company in recent months. References: 1 https://bdsmovement.net/news/axa-triples-investment-israeli-banks-financing-illegal-settlements-eve-annexation

42 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS Lush Prize 2020 Campaigning and Big data projects lining up training The prize also awards training and to replace animal tests campaigners. The TPI Helpathon team in the CRAIG REDMOND from the Lush Prize tells us about last Netherlands won the £50,000 prize for month’s Lush Prize virtual conference and awards. training. Their innovative brainstorming sessions help scientists who currently use animals explore new approaches. So popular was this concept that, during the Ceremony, requests came in from several countries for assistance in setting up similar schemes. Campaigns to highlight animal testing and to change or introduce legislation are also given recognition. The Public Awareness Prize, also worth £50,000, was won by German animal rights organisation SOKO Tierschutz. Its courageous undercover investigation at the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology in Germany not only led to the lab losing its licence to experiment on animals, but also saw its closure and the rehoming of all animals. SOKO is the only organisation to win a Lush Prize twice, having won in 2015 for another exposé of an animal research lab.

The awards ceremony

Winners of the training prize, TPI Helpathon from the Netherlands. The awards ceremony is usually a physical event but this year, for obvious reasons, was online. It was hosted by actor and The Lush Prize is an annual award to big data can often find predictive trends comedian Neil Mullarkey, and the winners scientists and campaigners who are or patterns far better and faster than accepted their prizes live from around the working to replace animal testing. It is a traditional animal testing. world. collaboration between Lush Cosmetics The Lush Prize has five main It was part of our two-day conference and Ethical Consumer, and, in November categories, and nominations are open titled ‘Can big data replace animal of this year, it paid out £250,000 in to scientists and campaigners based testing?’ Our four panel sessions total, with prizes awarded in a virtual anywhere in the world. The three big discussed areas such as animal testing ceremony. data winners were all using computer and COVID-19 research, collaborations The Prize is now in its eighth year, databases to successfully predict the to advance the safety assessments of but this is the first time that three of the toxicity of chemicals for humans: Dr chemicals without using animals, and winning projects have been based around Tim Allen of Cambridge University won regulatory acceptance of non-animal ‘big data’ projects designed to replace the prestigious £50,000 Science Prize, research. animal tests. and two of the five Young Researcher Once again we were fortunate to have ‘Big data’ is a simplified name for awards were for big data, Dr Domenico presentations from some of the most computational toxicology, making Gadelata of Milan’s Mario Negri Institute influential people working on these computer-based health models on the and Edoardo Carnesecchi of Utrecht issues, as well as more casual ‘fireside basis of the large amounts of data being University. chat’ interviews with some of this year’s routinely gathered in the modern world. “The judges were particularly excited winners. It is seen as one of the main potential that this year’s shortlist contained a new At the end of such a difficult year it was replacements for animal testing. wave of projects which were modelling fantastic to be able to finally award the the cellular pathways of toxic molecules winners of the Lush Prize 2020, hold such in their datasets. This combination of 21st a great live event, and provide £250,000 Big data awards century technologies showed perhaps funding to scientists and campaigners to the greatest promise yet for a widespread support their crucial and impactful work. The process of extracting and analysing replacement of older and less reliable large quantities of data has been aided animal models on a global scale,” said The Lush Prize Conference and Awards by advances in artificial intelligence Lush Prize Director Rob Harrison. Ceremony can both be watched online at: and machine learning. The ‘mining’ of www.lushprize.org

ethicalconsumer.org 43 FEATURE

Taxing Big Tech The Next Steps

ROB HARRISON explains the latest developments in Ethical Consumer’s campaign to get Big Tech companies to contribute to the pandemic- affected societies in which they operate.

ig Tech companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook have avoided paying proper taxes on their profits in every country Bin the world for many years now. Like wayward children focused on fun and games, every time a government introduces new rules to try to stop tax avoidance happening, they find another loophole or trick to escape capture. For the rest of us, it’s long since stopped being funny. With the pandemic particularly, government resources to help the poor and vulnerable are running short. The spectacle of giant corporations, who thrive on our social isolation, experiencing extraordinary economic digital economy remains bogged down. Round Three – Digital Service Tax success at the same time, means that Opposition from the US government (DST) voices clamouring to close the gap now has been key to this lack of progress.2 In the UK in April 2020, a digital services come from across the political spectrum.1 Because of this impasse, national tax went into effect at a rate of 2% on But how actually do you stop it governments have become impatient all UK sales of very large companies happening, even if you want to? The and started introducing their own rules. providing search engines, social media problem has been causing sleepless services and online marketplaces. This nights for clever people for nearly a Round Two – Diverted Profits Tax approach, of a tax on sales rather than decade now and has led to at least three In the UK, following pressure from profits, has now caught on globally in rounds of initiatives. all parties, the then Chancellor Philip various forms and, at the last count, Hammond introduced a diverted profits 36 countries have implemented or Round One – International tax in 2015 aimed at multinational announced plans for such a tax.3 Agreements corporations, both digital and otherwise. Multilateral institutions like the OECD Although, in January 2020, the UK Round Four – A pandemic windfall have been building complex new rules to government announced that it had tax? prevent ‘profit shifting’ by multinational secured a significant additional £5 As we have explained in previous companies since 2012. And although billion of tax, much continues to articles, when you look at the rates this has met with some success, finding be avoided by Big Tech companies of Digital Sales Taxes (DSTs) in other agreement on how to tax the new particularly.2 countries, it appears that the UK’s rate

44 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 is relatively modest. In Turkey it is set Problem 2: Amazon is off the hook order to rectify the problems that have at 7.5%, in the Czech Republic 7% and again arisen in its first iteration. in Austria it is 5%.2 In July this year, we When the DST was designed, the In order to capture the sales of Amazon wrote an article in Ethical Consumer government stopped short of applying and start rebalancing the UK economy proposing increasing the DST to 10% it to product sales to consumers (as towards other less aggressively tax- during the pandemic in order to help opposed to services which were taxed). avoiding retailers, it will be necessary to finance the very costly social and This was because of concerns that extend the current DST to product sales. health interventions the pandemic has it might adversely affect traditional If there is a desire that such a change required. This kind of approach has retailers such as John Lewis.1 The should not bring John Lewis and others been suggested elsewhere too since upshot of this was that Amazon, one of within its scope then an exception should then with, for example, Tom Kibasi the most problematic tax avoiders of all, be made for companies which can meet writing in the Guardian suggesting that escaped the tax on its own product sales. high standards of tax transparency, and a rebalancing “could be accomplished The fact that Amazon has chosen are thereby able to evidence that no through a special levy – calculated as a to pass on the DST to its Amazon artificial avoidance is taking place. The percentage of UK sales – for the decade marketplace third party sellers (who are Fair Tax Mark has devised a robust set of ahead.”4 being provided with a service), rather rules which have stood the test of time than eat into its own profits, has drawn in being able to certify that a fair rate of Problem 1: Passing the tax onto particular ire from a wide range of tax is being paid. It should be possible to consumers commentators. Andrew Goodacre, chief apply similar rules to companies seeking While it looked like a good idea at the executive of the British Independent an exemption from any future higher-rate time, since then it appears that many Retailers Association, apparently said: DST. of the Big Tech monopolies have no “All it has done is resulted in small The following amendments therefore intention of eating into their profits by sellers paying more and making less would need to be made to the next paying the taxes as intended. Instead while Amazon gains further competitive iteration of the UK’s DST. they are simply, and openly, passing the advantage.”1 l The new DST must expressly prohibit costs onto their consumers. companies from directly or indirectly Well-known tax commentator, Richard passing on this tax to consumers or users. Murphy, has pointed out that, as most of Where now for Ethical l The new DST should apply to product the companies are effective monopolies sales for any company falling within its – a DST was always going to be the Consumer’s 10% DST scope which is not able to demonstrate “easiest tax on Earth to pass on”.9 This is campaign? that a fair rate of corporation tax is naturally creating an aggrieved cohort of already being paid. Companies would consumers and sellers who, seeing their Given that consumers and sellers are have to demonstrate this through costs go up, become opponents of the new already aggrieved that the 2% DST is transparent public reporting of country- tax regimes. being passed onto them, they are likely by-country financial results and other One of the interesting developments to be even more unhappy about the data. here is public comments from two idea of a 10% rate. It is difficult, though, Ethical Consumer has received a companies (Facebook and eBay) that to think of another way that windfall small grant from Network for Social they are not intending on doing this. We taxes might easily be applied to tech Change to pursue this campaign. We have compiled a small table below with multinationals. Profit taxes, the usual have recruited a new part-time member position statements on the DST from way for governments to make windfall of staff – Nabila Ahmed – to work on this those companies we know that have made provisions, are not going to work with us. We plan to make a submission them. because the companies have already to the Treasury Select Committee on Tax made the profits magically disappear. After Coronavirus reform asking for this A levy on assets, which was applied to 10% rate combined with the two new the banking sector after the 2008 crash, rule amendments, and then to seek the Company Statement Source would not really work here either since support of other groups who want to sign so many of these are offshore for tech up for the campaign. Do let us know if you 5 Amazon Will pass Guardian firms too. are interested, or indeed if you have any tax onto sellers on its Until a better idea comes along, it is comments or questions about what we are platform therefore worth thinking about modifying proposing. Google Will pass Guardian5 the request to government. In addition costs onto to raising the rate of DST to 10% on a advertisers temporary basis, we should probably ask More information on our website Apple Will pass Gamesindustry. to amend the rules at the same time in ethicalconsumer.org onto App biz6 Store users Facebook Won’t Bloomberg7 pass on References Viewed 15/11/20: 1 Lord Leigh of Hurley quoted in www.thetimes.co.uk/article/amazon-will-escape-landmark-digital- costs to its tax-z3vbf52v3 2 https://fairtaxmark.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Essential-elements-of-Global-Corp-Standards-for-Resp- advertisers Tax-Conduct-FINAL.pdf 3 tax.kpmg.us/content/dam/tax/en/pdfs/2020/digitalized-economy-taxation-developments-summary. pdf 4 www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/09/covid-income-wealth-work-taxed 5 https://www.theguardian.com/ eBay Won’t pass Thisismoney. media/2020/sep/01/googles-advertisers-will-take-the-hit-from-uk-digital-service-tax 6 www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020- on the tax to co.uk8 09-03-uk-governments-digital-sales-tax-misses-its-target 7 https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report-international/ sellers on its facebook-not-passing-u-k-digital-tax-costs-on-to-advertisers 8 www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8620697/Ebay- platform shames-Amazon-plan-pass-new-tech-tax-small-firms.html9 www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/09/04/tech-giants-turn- tables-britains-digital-services-tax

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46 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 NEWS Money

Community share offers thrive CHARITY BOND OFFER Triodos Bank has recently launched New research published by Co-ops UK While just over one fifth of investors only a £3 million charity bond to support shows community share schemes are invested in their own neighbourhood or Nottinghamshire YMCA with the thriving, bringing positive impacts to village, 78% also invested further afield. completion of the Newark and businesses and communities around the Taken together, these findings suggest Sherwood Community and Activity UK. Less than a decade ago, the report that, when viewed at a national level, Village, a project that will deliver claims, community shares were almost community shares have “significant transformational services for the local unheard of. But, since 2012, £155 million potential to reduce inequalities and level area. has been raised by 104,203 people to up society.” The COVID-19 pandemic has create more than 440 essential spaces The report’s final key finding is that recently increased demand for the and services.1 institutions, funders, and governments YMCA’s front-line services, but there play a key role in supporting is a need to address the deeper and growing the community causes of social, health, and well- shares market. It found that being issues in the region in order the best method of raising to make longer lasting changes. finance was a ‘blended’ The charity aims to address these approach. For every £1 issues through the creation of the invested in community community-led and designed Newark shares, an additional £1.18 and Sherwood Community and is leveraged through grants, Activity Village, creating opportunities loans, and institutional and a positive future for everyone in investment. For the potential the local area. of community shares to The six-year bond pays 6% be fully realised, more annually and has a minimum institutional investment investment of £50. Closing date: 21 The report, which was an extensive from governments, funders, and impact December 2020. review of the UK community shares investors should be channelled into the For more information visit: market, revealed four key findings. market. triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk Firstly, community shares create and ‘Understanding a Maturing Community sustain successful businesses. The first Shares Market’ can be found here: References: 1 https://communityshares.org.uk/sites/default/ five years are usually incredibly difficult www.uk.coop/comshares files/documents/community-shares-report-2020-FINAL.pdf for new businesses, with only 42% making it to the end of their fifth year. However, this figure is significantly higher Carbon divested funds: financial performance when it comes to co-op start-ups, at 76%. Being able to raise ‘patient and flexible Carbon divested fund 5-year cumulative Ethiscore capital’ is an important part of this, with performance to as of 11/11/2020 09/2020 85% of businesses stating that running a community share offer had a positive Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Fund 121.7 7 impact on financial performance. BMO Responsible Global Equity 109.8 10.5 Raising finance through community share offers is not just of benefit to the WHEB Sustainability 89.0 16 business, but also offers an accessible form of investment. Purchasing shares Triodos Pioneer Impact 82.1 16 allows people to become members or Jupiter Ecology 76.5 6.5 co-owners in the co-op or community benefit society, thereby gaining a stake in EdenTree Amity International 69.0 7 projects that are important to them. As Quilter Cheviot Climate Assets* 54.7* 6 investments can be from as little as £10, community share schemes are accessible ASI Global Equity Impact 47.6 6.5 to those on low incomes, with 56% of investors earning £35,000 (the average Rathbone Ethical Corporate Bond 36.7 6 UK salary) or lower. AXA Ethical Distribution 27.1 10 At 4.8%, the average interest rate on community share offers is not to Sarasin Sustainable Global Real Estate Equity 24.6 11 be sniffed at, but the report found Kames Ethical Corporate Bond 16.7 5 only 17% of respondents gave ‘the prospect of financial returns’ as a top Castlefield B.E.S.T Sustainable Income -1.7 13 reason for investing. By far the greatest IA Global (for comparison) 79.9 - motivation for investors, given by 80% trustnet.com Data from *performance to 31 July 2020, data from quiltercheviot.com of respondents, was that the project had Following the publication of our guide to Ethical Funds in EC186, we have expanded this table to include all carbon divested funds as wider social or environmental benefits. identified by 3D Investing.

ethicalconsumer.org 47 ETHICAL CONSUMER Letters

Tax refuse sales where they may, or may Knives, Dairy is Scary and The Game

£4·25 187 Nov/Dec 2020 not, be used in an ethical manner? For Changers if you are not conversant with www.ethicalconsumer.org avoidance Are mortgage lenders example, I think most people will agree the facts. Organic or higher welfare is helping to build a that burning the rain forests for various merely less cruel. I can’t believe people zero carbon future? It is entirely reasons is very undesirable. You might who aren’t vegan think they are somehow right to expose expect the manufacturers of chainsaws ‘ethical’ while paying people to kill Amazon’s to condemn the action. How about the animals purely for their enjoyment or ‘aggressive’ tax trucks and other machinery used in the convenience. It’s irrational and sickening. avoidance tactics, process? How about the clothing worn Tens of billions of animals suffer short,

GUIDES TO Home & Car Insurance Ethical Pensions but some could by the people doing the burning/tree cruel, abusive lives and brutal, terrifying Mortgages Accounts for Small Businesses argue it is doing felling? How about the matches used to deaths to supply ‘food’ and commodities its best for its light the fires? Where does it stop? that are not only unnecessary but shareholders It’s totally unfair to only criticise one cause untold harm to our health and (pension funds). Therein lies a paradox. company whose products are used for the environment, too. Viruses are I may not be entirely correct, but part of the process, and it’s completely proliferating and mutating amongst sometime since the 1980s the UK unrealistic to expect all the companies factory-farmed animals, so it’s only a governments have increased the tax of every product used in the process to matter of time before we wipe ourselves legislation such that previously the condemn/refuse sales. out unless we change tack. Organic and whole lot could be written on a pile of Joe grass fed may impress the uninformed, A4 about 2 metres high, whereas now it but for the animals it still means a short, would fill a whole room! Ed: Just because it might not be realistic exploited life and hideous death. Please Of course, the cynic among us might to apply a principle to its nth degree, it consider innocent lives if you are not suggest that the gross increase in the does not follow that the principle should already vegan. legalese jargon called tax law is designed not be applied at all. The Palestinian Andy to increase obscurity and frustrate resistance movement has repeatedly ‘creative’ tax planning to all but the elites drawn attention to Caterpillar machines and the likes of Amazon, Starbucks, being used by the Israeli state to violate Heat pumps Boots et-al. Boycotting is the only true the rights of Palestinians. I’m sure democracy we have. I’d like to see reforms Caterpillar are aware of this. Is it really Heat pumps require electricity to drive in our political landscape. that unrealistic to expect Caterpillar to, the pump, the pump itself gets hot from Michael at the very least, denounce the flagrant compressing the refrigerant gas and human rights violations that its products from the electricity and this heat makes Ed: Tax avoidance could certainly be are repeatedly being used for? up 25-30% of the output so a 4kw output viewed as companies doing what is best Perhaps it is currently unrealistic, but heat pump will take 1 to 1.5kW directly for shareholders. And therein we find a what is unrealistic often becomes from the mains at day rate prices. They major structural problem with the way realistic when we demand it. The ’60s also require a heat source – normally our economic system currently operates Situationists put it this way: Be realistic, either the air or the ground. Air source – where the maximisation of shareholder demand the impossible. can be noisy and need to be sited to value trumps all other concerns! On avoid annoying the neighbours! They the other hand, it could also be argued also use some heat to automatically that companies are increasingly wary In defence of defrost the collector in winter. Ground of deliberately avoiding tax for fear that source either require a couple of deep being caught and shamed may harm veganism (100 foot+) boreholes into the ground profits and shareholder value. I was interested, but rather depressed where space is tight or an extensive Another important point is that not all to read two letters in issue 197 Nov/ surface array of pipework containing companies avoid tax. While boycotting Dec: one decrying “vegan domination” brine or refrigerant. is one form of action to take against tax in your reports and the other asking to Rocky ground being a problem avoiders, another action is to actively know which dairy farms participated for both. Also due to its lower output support those businesses that are proud in the badger cull so they could avoid temperature, fitting bigger radiators to pay their fair share of tax. Look for buying from them. to get the heat out may not be possible businesses certified by Fair Tax Mark. Veganism should obviously be the and retrofitting underfloor heating For more details, see: fairtaxmark.net default position for anyone claiming to is impossible unless part of a major be ethical. Buying goods that involve reconstruction. For most terraced gratuitous (animal products are totally housing, ground source heat pumps Unrealistic unnecessary) animal cruelty and killing is are a non-starter unless done through very obviously not ethical. a cooperative group with access to a expectations It’s time those who purport to be larger area of land. Retrofitting solar hot I wanted to comment on your reply to ethical or environmentally concerned water panels on a south facing roof is the letter ‘Vegan Domination’ in the step up to the mark and embrace the cheapest and easiest solution using Letters section of the most recent edition veganism as the only way to align with a heavily insulated water heat store tank of the magazine, specifically the part their claims. (There is no ‘humane with a backup immersion heater (on an about Caterpillar. Is it really realistic to slaughter’” before anyone brings that E7 tariff!). expect a company to release a statement chestnut up: have a look at some videos Glen condemning the use of its products, or or films. Watch Dominion, Forks over

48 Ethical Consumer January/February 2021 ETHICAL CONSUMER Letters

Ed: In the next issue of Ethical Consumer we will be examining heat Corrections to previous guides pumps and other forms of renewable energy in detail, so we will address your Triodos Pioneer Impact Fund the company meets our minimum criteria. concerns then. As part of the guide to Ethical Funds in We believe that Danone has an animal EC186, we published a table on p38 welfare program in place and over the last based on data supplied to us by 3D five years has improved in this regard. The Heated debate Investing. It stated that the Triodos volume of the turnover related to these Pioneer Impact Fund did not invest in products is also less than 5% of annual Please can you ask your contributors companies that conducted animal testing. turnover and thus limited in nature and in to check their facts before writing Following publication, a reader notified line with our policy. articles, especially when they quote us that the fund held shares in Danone, “Compared to other investors we are that homeowners should use an MCS a company which has been criticised already very strict with the 5% threshold accredited installer, but then clearly for testing on animals. We contacted approach.” don’t approach one for help and accurate 3D Investing and they apologised for Triodos also provided further justification information. this error. We also contacted Triodos for for its investment in Danone. One reason 1. Heat pumps can work in older houses comment: given was that 27 of Danone’s entities were if the system is designed correctly. Triodos: “We consider animal testing for certified B-Corps, meaning the company 2. Heat pumps should cost less to run non-medical products only acceptable to a was “making significant progress towards than a gas boiler. very limited extent when legally required for Danone’s ambition to become one of the 3. Radiators often do have to increase in a company to bring a product to the market. first certified multinationals.” size but don’t have to be huge. The revenues of such products must be 4. We calculate heat losses on limited to a maximum of 5% corporate Nationwide missing every house we work, it’s an MCS turnover, as we don’t want companies to In EC187 we published a guide to requirement. focus on non-medical products for which Mortgages. Although Nationwide was Gary, an MCS Installer animal testing is needed. All tests need mentioned in the text, it was not included to be carried out in line with the three R’s in the score table. This was an error. The Carbon Co-op: We work closely framework (replacement, reduction and company should have been included, with with MCS Heat Pump installers, MCS refinement). an Ethiscore of 12.5. It is included in the themselves and the government on all “Before we decided to invest, we online version of the Mortgages guide and things heat pumps. We heartily agree reviewed Danone with regards to our in the digital version of the magazine (pdf heat pumps can go in better insulated minimum standards and determined that or flipbook). older homes and concur that larger radiators are often needed. Running costs could be cheaper than gas but unfortunately aren’t always (for many reasons) and though heat loss calculations are required on homes, We welcome readers’ letters. Letters may be edited for reasons of space or sadly not all installers do them to the clarity. If you do not want letters or emails to be published, please mark them required level of accuracy or quality – ‘Not for publication’. Our address is on page 3, or email us at though I am sure many do! [email protected]

ethicalconsumer.org 49 INSIDE VIEW Le French Food Revolution

A groundbreaking scheme linking consumers to food producers is set to launch in the UK says SIMON BIRCH.

Co-founder of The Consumer Brand David Poussier on a visit to a free-range egg farm. Along with flour, eggs will be one the brand’s first products to be launched in the UK next year. © The Consumer Brand

David Poussier is a revolutionary. being forced onto the sector by the big “More than two thousand people have The Cotswold-based former French supermarkets. already filled in our online questionnaire retail business executive is aiming to The brand works, in effect, like fair for flour, our first product to be sold next radically transform the relationship trade in that it pays all farmers and year and, given that we don’t do any between consumers and food producers producers a premium for their produce advertising, I think that’s amazing,” says in the UK, which he says has been through a slightly higher retail price. All Poussier. dominated by the power of the big producers are suffering from the same Food writer and author of ‘Sitopia’ and supermarkets for too long. supermarket-driven squeeze on prices, ‘Hungry City’, Carolyn Steel, is equally “It’s time to empower consumers and not just dairy farmers. enthusiastic: allow them to have a say in what they’re But the really innovative thing is that it “The Consumer Brand is wonderful in putting in their shopping baskets by lets shoppers have a say in every aspect of that it educates people and makes them reconnecting consumers with farmers the product that’s to be sold, via an online understand the complexities of food, and and involving them in every step of the questionnaire. it engages with them making them part production process,” says Poussier. Helped with an online briefing about of the decision-making process driving “We can effectively change what we all aspects of a product’s production ethical food production.” buy in supermarkets, pay farmers a fair process, consumers decide on its And it’s a thumbs up too from Martin price for their produce, and respect the specifications. Lines, Chair of the Nature Friendly environment.” This covers everything from whether Farming Network which has almost 2,000 Sounds like some ethical pipedream? a product should be organic and farmer members across the country. Well actually no, as this is exactly what’s take account of animal welfare to the “By connecting consumers with the happening over in France. packaging to be used and the price power and responsibility they have Since its launch in 2016, the French that the producer should get. Finally, as purchasers, this initiative will help food brand ‘C’est qui le Patron’ has consumers are asked whether they redress the power imbalance between stormed onto the shelves of the country’s want to pay a little more to help improve producers and supermarkets,” believes biggest supermarkets and is now the biodiversity on the farmer’s land. Lines. biggest-selling new food brand in French “Many of our members aren’t organic, commercial history. C’est qui le Patron in the UK but if we had market recognition for With over 40 lines, from milk and Now, David Poussier is aiming to what we produce which gives us a small honey to chicken and pasta, the C’est replicate the success of ‘C’est qui le premium, then it would actually change qui le Patron organic butter is the most Patron’ by heading up its UK operation, how we farm.” popular butter brand in France, as is its with a target date of hitting the own brand of free-range eggs. supermarket shelves next spring under If you’d like more information on The the trading name of The Consumer Consumer Brand and to fill in its online How it works Brand, which is being run as a not-for- questionnaire on eggs and flour visit: ‘C’est qui le Patron’, which translates to profit social enterprise. www.theconsumerbrand.co.uk ‘Who’s the Boss?’ in English, began in Poussier is confident that the venture response to the crisis in the French dairy will achieve the same level of success here @SimonBirchSays industry which saw record low prices as its French parent company. @DavidPoussier

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